Sensei, a Little Help?
by starfiction123
Summary: It has been said that life is unpredictable and full of surprises…If that's truly the case, then assumptions must be one of life's evil phenomenons... (Sequel to Amidst the Two Graves/collaboration with InfinityxInfinity777)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Oh. My. Gosh! Guys! You all shocked me to bits on my last story! Thank ya'll so much for the read, reviews, and support! I am so glad everyone enjoyed it and even more so, was like almost begging for a sequel! I honestly didn't know it would have such an effect, but my gosh guys thanks so much. Anything to get more Jemily out there! Well due to popular demand...You asked...You waited...Now, you got it! The sequel to Amidst the Two Graves! And for an extra bonus treat, this story is going to be a collaboration with the lovely author InfinityxInfinity777. Check her stories they are awesome!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Revenge. ABC Studios and Mike Kelley did and I STILL miss it greatly!**

* * *

 _ **It has been said that life is unpredictable and full of surprises…If that's truly the case, then assumptions must be one of life's evil phenomenons. When we encounter a time where life flows at a settled pace like an undisturbed river, it is easy to see what is up ahead. We may even try to predict certain things with a surety whether based upon past experiences or just how things appear at the moment, that we will be right no matter what…We believe that our perspective is correct and that our assumptions hold value…But assumptions are never absolute. And when we turn out to be wrong, control slips through our grasp…Leaving us helpless…And at a loss for what to do next…Depending on the severity, assumptions hold an incredible ability for destruction. It can be as subtle as destroying the deepest of trusting relationships, or even prove to be life threatening…**_

 _Deep within the confines of a dark, frigid, and abandoned warehouse basement, three figures, two men and a woman, could be seen running and climbing up multiple heavy wooden crates that cluttered the area, desperately trying to reach the dust covered window high above them that would lead to their freedom as time worked against them with every second that passed._

 _The first man paused reluctantly as he tried to process the physical taxing task before him of climbing up the wooden crates that although led to their desired escape, were positioned even higher and slightly off balance, posing as an infuriating risk for not only him, since physical and athletic skills were not really his bests strengths, but for the man and woman that lagged behind him also. The other man shared his look of slight panic while simultaneously trying to keep the woman calm with his reassuring grip on her hand, and holding his still bleeding shoulder._

 _The first man then turned his fearful gaze to the woman, as if hoping and praying that she would be the answer for the problem at hand or at least the source for a valuable solution, but his dismay only worsened as she too shared a look of fear and slight hopelessness within her eyes that were heavy with exhaustion._

 _The merciless ticking sound that resonated from the unexpected explosive not too far off increased the stress and severity of the situation as they were all reminded of their impending demise._

 _Time was of the essence…_

 _Their hearts raced faster and their eyes widened with horror as the bomb continued to countdown…_

* * *

 **A few weeks earlier…**

"Aand…with the headlines blaring with the same news in every paper for all the world to see, I believe the countdown to a successful takedown victory is complete! Please feel free to praise my awesomeness accordingly before I break into a chorus of 'I told you so's" Nolan Ross smiled with pride as he threw his newspaper aside, adjusted his Bluetooth, and spun a full circle in his computer chair.

" _Alright, alright! Fine…You were right and I was wrong…"_ A deep voice sighed on the other line.

"Now, now Patty's boy, no need to make it sound like a chore! These are happy times upon us, well mainly for you since it brings you a huge step closer to exonerating your mother dearest." Nolan replied.

" _I told you about calling me that…I would prefer to be called Johnathan Doe please; it's less hassle while still concealing my real identity."_ Mrs. Patterson's son stated seriously.

"And will we _ever_ get to know your actual name _Mr. Mysterious?_ Even Louise seems desperate to find out the man behind the mask of the anonymous _momma's boy wonder._ " Nolan said, smiling at the sound of the adorable chuckle he heard from the other line.

" _Yeah, I'm afraid not. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't trust you guys! You guys are probably the only ones I can afford to trust…not to mention the only actual real best friends I've ever had…But even so…just the slightest slip up or risk can ruin everything and I don't want to put you guys in that sort of danger you know?"_ John explained with empathy in his voice.

"Say no more my friend, I know all about what it's like to be a part of an identity crisis…in more ways than one…" Nolan mumbled but then smiled brightly. "So Johnie-boy it is then!"

" _I gotta' admit, that was a pretty smooth move that you did there though! Having the Chairman of the Board participate in one of Amanda's charity functions to promote his public image while you took advantage of his payment method? Genius!"_ John eagerly praised, changing the subject.

Nolan shrugged. "Well, I simply just took an opportunity when it called out to me! I mean though I am technically the technology guru of the universe, even _I_ know not to rely on it when it comes to finances…Luckily for us, he proved to be the idiot that didn't get the memo."

" _Well I believe a big thank you also goes to Amanda and Jack for pitching in too."_

"Oh no, no, no. As much as I agree with you, they strictly stated that they were out of the takedown business and wanted no such glory. Though I'm sure they would appreciate being a part of the fortunate circumstances at hand. Even Ams told me recently that they were happy to help for the good of the cause."

" _Well, be that as it may, the fight is far from over…Now I bet that power hungry son of a bitch is just waiting and eager to retaliate. He's probably plotting a comeback as we speak…"_ John stated seriously.

"Now, now, now! Why must you be such a negative Nancy before even doing a victory dance?! There's nothing wrong with stopping to smell the roses my friend; especially when you've come so far. I know your mother wouldn't want you to run yourself ragged after all…I sure don't…" Nolan mumbled softly with concern. "And Louise either of course!" He rushed the last part before blushing.

"… _I wish I could share your enthusiasm Nols. But it's just not that simple…And also, I think it's best if I lay low for a little while. Just until this whole thing blows over and we can hit him with a counter attack if need be."_ John replied softly.

"Wait, whoa, whoa whoa. Hold on. Does this mean that you won't be coming over tonight?" Nolan asked in disbelief.

"' _Fraid so."_

"But…We were all supposed to enjoy a victory dinner! You know what this means don't you? You're going to miss out on Louise's cooking! Did you forget how she is when she spends all of her time and effort slaving over a hot stove in vain?!" Nolan stressed.

"… _Oh sh-"_

" _Well bless my soul, is that Johnie-John on the phone?!"_ An excited southern drawl sounded from the other room as the sound of heels clicked in Nolan's direction.

"The one and only, and guess what? He's got an announcement to make." Nolan smirked, hearing the uncomfortable gulp on the other line.

"Well gol-ly we're already bustling and burstin' at the seams with the news of that money hungry varmint being caught, I mean what else could sweeten such a moment? I mean besides my mouth waterin' homemade apple pie in the oven of course! Ooh I just can't wait for you darlins to taste it! You will not believe the struggle I went through in preparin' this meal! I made it extra special for you Johnie John." She flirted as she batted her eyelashes at Nolan's phone, ignoring his sudden eye roll.

" _Umm…I'm sure it's gonna' be delicious Lou-Lou, umm…listen…about dinner…I-"_

"-can't wait to sink your teeth in it? Well baby doll I can't blame ya! We Savannah folks take pride in puttin' love and hospitality in every single bite that you savor. And boy let me tell you right now, you are gonna' be itchin' to taste my world famous gumbo with a side of fresh baked rolls just oozin' with butter! It's not very healthy for the arteries, but it's just one of those sinful pleasures you can't go without. Oh and don't get me started on the appetizer-"

" _Lou-Lou! Lou-Lou! Listen…about dinner…Umm...I-I'm sure that you put a lot of effort into it and…I'm very appreciative and would like nothing more than to spend time with you and Nols, but…Oh god how do I put this…"_ John stuttered uneasily.

"He's not coming tonight." Nolan finished for him with an evil smirk on his face.

Silence filled the room at that moment before Louise closed her eyes and took an indignant breath through her nose. "Say what now?" She started out in a low tone of voice, before chuckling in disbelief. "I'm sorry my ears must be foolin' me cause I know I didn't just hear that you won't be joinin' us for the victory dinner that I made for us tonight?!" her voice raised in octaves as she glared at the phone.

" _Uh…Gotta go!"_

Nolan held in his chuckles as the line suddenly went dead despite Louise's constant fussing.

"Dag nam it! And to think I worked all day trying to get the ingredients to mix in just right! Do you know how hard it is to get that perfect simmer in an old fashioned gumbo done the right way?! When I get my hands on him…I'm a hang him by his unmentionables!" Louise huffed.

Nolan put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them in an attempt to comfort her. "Now, now easy there cowgirl! Let's save the lasso lashing for later shall we? Besides, more for us right?"

"But Nols, it was supposed to be a victory dinner for all of us together!" She whined.

"Well, look at it this way…We can make it another one of our wonder twin nights! You like those don't you?" He cooed.

"Well…we are due for one of those…or two…or more…" She smiled a little.

"That's the spirit! Now turn that frown upside down and bring on a bowl of that good old fashioned cookin'!" He smiled.

"You got it Sugar! Wonder Twins activate?" She held out a fist.

"Ready for action like always!" Nolan finished bumping his fist with hers and bopping her on the nose with his finger.

* * *

 **Meanwhile, somewhere in New York outside of the Hamptons…**

"Let's see…The spoon goes over on the right…or was it the left of the water glass? Ugh! Forget it. I'll just do this." A nine year old Carl Porter mumbled as he switched silverware back and forth on the nicely set table.

"There! All done! It's perfect! What do you think Skip?" Carl chuckled as the bright light yellow Labrador retriever barked in reply.

"I agree! This should do the trick for sure!" He smiled as he rubbed the dog's back.

He suddenly heard the sound of a yawn and footsteps come into the kitchen.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Jack Porter suddenly paused as he took in the sight of the kitchen. His eyes widened as they darted around the area and eventually landed on his smiling son.

"Morning dad! Isn't it a beautiful day?" Carl said cheerfully.

"…The kitchen's clean…" He stated with incredulity.

"Yep! And that's not all! I took out the trash, set the table, and poured you a glass of your favorite juice! I would have gotten you coffee, but I'm not allowed to touch the coffee maker so…this was the next best thing." He explained, not losing the cheerfulness.

Jack gave him a skeptic look. "Okay. What do you want and how much does it cost?"

Carl feigned a dramatic gasp and held a hand over his chest. "Dad! How could you?! You wound me so! I am hurt that you would even think of me having another motive for these acts of kindness! Can't a guy just do something nice for his hard working father and sick mother from the goodness of his heart for a change?"

Jack just blinked tiredly at him, but sighed with a small smile of amusement as he nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll bite. Well in that case, thank you. It was very thoughtful of you…Especially since this kind of thing is what we've been asking you to do on a normal basis and usually goes ignored…" He mumbled the last part under his breath.

"No problem dad! It's my pleasure!" Carl smiled brightly and sat at the table.

"Well, I better get started on breakfast before I drop you off at school." Jack stated while taking out various pans and setting them onto the counter.

"Wait, I thought mom was going to be cooking today." Carl raised an eyebrow.

"Well she wanted to, but she's knocked out right now; which is good since she needs her rest to recover from that awful bug she's got. Sailing did not make it any better. I knew I should have postponed it…" Jack chastised himself.

"Aw come on dad, you know how mom is. Once she's got her mind made up, you can't tell her anything! Which is why she's going to be really mad at you when she finds out that you didn't wake her up to make breakfast." Carl replied with a mischievous smile.

"-Which is why we're not going to say anything about it. Right? Sailor's promise?" Jack winked making his son chuckle and dog bark happily.

Before the boys could enjoy the plentiful stack of blueberry pancakes, they heard the sound of a light groan and footsteps enter the kitchen only for it to be Amanda Porter as she slowly trudged her way to the table.

"Mm what's going on here?"

"Babe! Hey! Wow….didn't expect you to be up…" Jack greeted uneasily.

"Morning mom!" Carl greeted happily. Skipper barked in greeting.

"Carl? Guys? What are you doing up so early? Wait a minute…what time is it?!" She panicked as her eyes darted towards the microwave clock. "Oh no! Buddy I'm so sorry! I got up too late to make you breakfast! You have to be at school in the next 20 minutes!"

"No worries mom! Dad took care of it for you so I've got plenty of time!" He replied.

"…Oh did he?" Amanda folded her arms.

" _What happened to the sailor's promise?!"_ Jack gritted through his teeth as he leaned towards his son.

" _Dad, you're the sailor. Not me. I like race cars remember?"_ Carl whispered back.

Before Jack could glare in reply, his wife swatted him on the shoulder. "You should have gotten me up! You're working hard enough already Honey, so it was my turn to make breakfast!"

"Like you could do anything after nearly spending the entire night going back and forth to the bathroom…Ams, look, it's fine. You needed the rest and I don't mind doing the cooking for a change. " Jack retorted dryly.

Amanda rolled her eyes but relented as she sat down next to him and grabbed her share of the pancakes, only to immediately push them away as she put a hand to her stomach.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Jack put a comforting hand on her shoulder in concern.

"Yeah…yeah I guess I'm just not as hungry as I thought…" She replied as she gave a smile of reassurance.

"You? Not being hungry for dad's blueberry pancakes? Wow! You MUST not be feeling well at all! Carl exclaimed with disbelief and concern.

"I'm fine buddy. Don't worry about me guys. You boys just enjoy it instead. I'm more thirsty than hungry anyways…" She took a sip of water and rubbed Skipper's head as he approached her seat. "Mm, hey I couldn't help but notice that the kitchen was unusually tidy today! Did you do that Jack?"

"Not me. That was all him." He replied after taking a bite of his food and pointed to his son.

"Carl?!" She exclaimed in shock and disbelief as she did a double take at her stepson. "That was you?!"

The boy nodded pridefully.

Amanda blinked. "Wow…I honestly don't know what to say…That's…so unlike you…At least not without being told…"

"Yeah dear, he wanted to do something nice for us…without any ulterior motive involved. Isn't that right Bud?" Jack smiled suspiciously at his son as he took a sip of his orange juice.

"Well…yeah, but now that you mentioned it…there _might_ have been just a _little_ favor I wanted to ask…?" Carl started sheepishly as he twiddled his thumbs.

"What happened to just doing all of this from the goodness of your heart?" Jack deadpanned with a pointed look.

"Well…it's that too…I just thought that it would help change your mind in case you said no?" Carl hesitated with a guilty smile.

"Well that backfired quickly for you then." Jack glowered.

"Jack, come on…" Amanda soothed and turned to her stepson. "Tell us what you want Carl. But next time, just ask us instead of trying to manipulate a good outcome okay?"

"Yes mom. Sorry. Well, everyone on the baseball team is going to be busy this weekend and Joey asked if I wanted to go camping with him on Saturday. I didn't want to say yes yet until I got permission so…Can I go? Please?" Carl pleaded.

"We'll see." Jack answered shortly.

Carl pouted. "That always means no!"

"No, it means we'll see. Despite your generous act in cleaning the kitchen, you still have a bunch of chores to get done that we've been asking you to complete." Jack explained.

"Plus we have to make sure that Joey's mother is okay with it since she probably planned that camping trip for her family all the way out of town. You don't want to intrude." Amanda added.

"I-I can get all of my chores done today after school in no time! That's not a problem! And Joey's mom was the one who suggested it! Please dad and mom can I go?! Everyone at school has plans for the weekend and people to play with but me! It gets lonely without any brothers or sisters to hang around and I just want something to do! Please?!" Carl pleaded in haste.

Jack stiffened at the words, "brothers and sisters" and looked over to his wife to see her suddenly wince and look down as if trying to hide her expression.

"Amanda…" He tried to reach for her.

"I'm sorry…Can I excuse myself for a moment?" She asked quietly.

"Are you okay mom?" Carl asked with concern at the sudden mood change.

"Y-yeah buddy I just…It's the flu acting up again…I guess I just need more rest after all…You have a good day at school okay? I love you." She got up, kissed Carl's forehead quickly, pecked her husband on the lips, and left without another word.

"…I did something wrong didn't I?" Carl asked sadly.

"…What do you mean Kiddo? Why would you say that?" Jack answered not looking away from the staircase where his wife hasted up the steps.

"…She didn't do the infinity phrase…She always does the infinity times infinity phrase before I go to school…" Carl looked down.

"She's just not feeling good right now buddy…Did you want me to do it with you instead?" Jack asked softly.

Carl shrugged but shook his head. "Mm…no thanks dad. It's not the same…Are you sure she's going to be alright?"

"She'll be fine. Don't worry." Jack reassured and rubbed his son's shoulder in comfort. "Come on, we need to get going before you're late for school."

"Kay…Soo…dad?" Carl started.

Jack looked at him in acknowledgement. "Yeah Bud?"

"Can I go with Joey this weekend please?!" Carl pleaded once more with a hopeful smile.

"We'll see." Jack replied shortly once more.

"Aw but that always means no!" Carl whined as he got up from the table to retrieve his backpack.

"No, I told you it means we'll see. Now let's get movin'. Skipper, watch the house and keep an eye on Ams for us." His father ordered as he fetched his car keys from the counter. The dog barked a few times in reply and sprinted towards the staircase.

* * *

 **Meanwhile somewhere on the other side of town…**

"So? What did you think?" An eager and slightly desperate Charlotte Clarke paced her condominium marble floors as she adjusted her cell phone to her ear and flipped through the papers in her hand. She heard a sigh from the other line.

" _That's a hefty accusation you've got there Sweetheart…Are you sure about jumping to conclusions like that so soon?"_

"Stevie come on! You heard me read all of the letters! You cannot tell me that it all doesn't sound suspicious and that Victoria doesn't sound guilty as hell!"

She heard the woman hum thoughtfully. _"Well I certainly wouldn't put something that sounds so underhanded past Victoria Grayson. But still, if all you have are letters that state no actual confession, it's going to be hard to prove your point. Not only do you lack enough evidence to support your claim, but one of the guilty parties is dead, while the other is unknown. So, there's not much to go off of."_

"I've got plenty to go off of! There's obvious proof of financial agreements and exchanges and the money involved is clearly a bribery to falsify Emily's-I mean- Amanda's medical records! That's medical fraud! I mean honestly! Having the nerve of stooping so low as to fake a report of infertility! Victoria must have known that Amanda had always wanted children! Gosh I hate her!" Charlotte shook her head in anger.

" _Well didn't Amanda fake a pregnancy to keep Daniel around as part of her vendetta against the Graysons?"_

"I'm not saying that what she or my mom did was right! But Amanda's changed! And not to mention her purpose was warranted this whole time. You remember how ruthless my family was! Nothing could get past them without them knowing about it or putting an end to it! Hell, if I were in her shoes and was as desperate as she was, I probably would have done the same thing I don't know!" Charlotte exclaimed.

" _You make a valid point. But be that as it may, the fact remains that there's still little evidence to go off of and if you are serious about pursuing this further, you're going to need to dig a little bit deeper."_ Stevie stated.

"I'm way ahead of you. I'm going to text Nolan to look into the details and see if he can give me a lead to track this so called 'unknown status' physician down. Once I find him, that bastard's going to pay for what he's done to my sister." Charlotte glared.

" _Hey now, careful Sweetheart. You're starting to sound an awful lot like how your sister used to act. Keep the goal of justice in mind; not retribution. I think we all have learned from Amanda's experience that it leads to nowhere but disaster."_ Stevie warned her sternly.

"…You're right…It's just…how can someone do something like that and get away with it?" Charlotte asked softly.

" _It's a cruel world we live in. And furthermore, I just don't want you giving your hopes up if you don't find anything…and even more so…if there is nothing to find in the first place…"_ Stevie said with reluctance.

"What do you mean by that?" Charlotte asked with an eyebrow raised.

" _Well…If the case may be that a fraud has taken place with Amanda's records, it's been quite a while that it went undiscovered until now which means that you might run into a lot of dead ends. Not to mention that it's been over 9 years since the shooting on the boat; 7 since my son married your sister, and I have no doubt that they have been trying hard for years for a baby, but there have been no results…My point is, you just need to be ready to face the harsh reality about your sister if that is the case."_ Stevie explained gently.

* * *

 **Later that night, somewhere deep in the alleys of the city…**

"I don't care if you have to bait the bastards with over a million dollars from the VP's personal account! I want those hackers responsible in your line of sight, traced, tracked down, and dealt with within the hour! THAT'S NOT A REQUEST! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS AT STAKE HERE IF NEWS OF THIS LEAKS OUT! IT'S GOING TO BE ALL OF OUR HEADS DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF!" Shouted the middle aged man known as the Chairman of the Board that was currently under the media's fire as he hid behind an alley trashcan in a futile attempt to avoid the ever starving paparazzi as they were hot on his trail.

Ever since his financial activities were mysteriously exposed, he vowed to use all of his status power to see the ones responsible burn in hell for it.

That is if he didn't burn first…

Along with the current destruction of his public and financial image came an even bigger threat since he played a huge part in not only Patterson's frame up and embezzlement, but was also supposed to be the ever suave handler who would ensure the safe deposit of every last penny embezzled into the account of an extremely powerful yet dangerous mafia organization known as the Black Mamba organization. The senior executive knew that he was currently under investigation by the government and even more so, what would happen once the feds caught wind of his involvement with such people. He wondered what would be worse: being at hands of the justice system, his public image being destroyed article by article and tweet by tweet, or if the mafia showed just even a shred of doubt of his abilities and sent a snitch after him for reassurance only for the said snitch to read the local newspaper…

At this point, he could pick and choose his demise as it was laid out for him on a silver platter.

" _Well…this is quite disappointing…"_

The senior executive jumped and turned around at the deep voice only to back away in a haste, his back knocking over the trashcan bins.

" _I have to say…despite the unfortunate circumstances, only you can pull off making a plaid tie look sharp…Bravo Mr. Chairman of the Board…"_ The deep voice chuckled as it remained in the shadows.

"M-Mr. Becker…S-sir…I-I can explain everything please!" The senior begged on his knees, not caring if he ruined his Ermenegildo Zegna brand suit pants.

The deep voice belonging to the man named Becker chortled from his position in the shadows. _"Now, now calm down Lyle…It's your lucky night don't you know…Usually I would be responsible for turning you over to the big guy and letting him deal with you. But seeing how the severity of your screw up is so critical…Even I cringe at what he'll do to you…and your family and their families…and pretty much your entire generation in one night…So, I'll make a deal with you. Just give me a name."_

"A-n-name?" the middle-aged man stuttered.

" _Give. Me. The. Name. Of. The. One. Responsible. For. The. Leak."_ Becker demanded in a low snarl.

"I-I-w-was actually in the p-process of getting that informa-"

" _-Are you trying to say that you don't know who did it?"_ Becker asked dryly, cutting him off.

"I should have the information within the hour if not less than an hour! I-I'll have the name and everything else you or your boss could ever want on the bastard! I swear! And once we have it, whoever it is, we'll make them pay!" The middle-aged man stuttered in an attempt to reassure Becker.

Becker smiled. _"Hmm…well then. Consider this your mercy since I won't turn you in."_

Before the senior executive could exhale a breath of relief, he fell back to the ground in a pool of his own blood as his chest was penetrated by a series of bullets.

" _You're welcome buddy."_ Becker smiled as he put away his silencer in his dark trench coat and stepped out of the shadows. He then noticed the fancy iPhone vibrating in the puddle of blood. He picked it up and swiped to answer.

" _Sir, you'll be happy to know that we were able to dig up something on the hacker!"_

"Oh really? Well, Mr. Chairman of the Board is unavailable at the moment, but I would be more than happy to relay the message…" Becker smiled deviously.

 **To be continued.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Guys! I'm so sorry this chapter took so long to complete! I wanted this out by Christmas or at least my birthday! (The day after Christmas) But hey better late than never right? Okay! Special thanks goes to my collab partner (InfinityXInfinity777) that girl can write! Read and Review and we'll keep those chapters coming! Hope everyone had a great holiday and will have a happy New Year!**

* * *

Amanda sighed as she turned off the faucet and put away her toothbrush. She just finished brushing her teeth, hoping to be rid of the foul aftertaste in her mouth since she just finished throwing up. She managed to make her way back to the bedroom where she flopped on the bed in misery. She groaned lightly with discomfort and annoyance at the nauseas feeling in her stomach, wondering why she felt so ill since she skipped out on breakfast. As if she couldn't feel any worse after what her stepson said about his loneliness; not that he meant any harm of course. Little Carl just couldn't understand the details of exactly why he was an only child and would remain that way. But she knew the reason. And as much as Amanda tried to hold it together, the wistful look that shone through his eyes pierced her heart to the core as she was reminded that she could not provide a solution to the problem. Not for him, and unfortunately, not for her husband who also shared the same look over the years, despite him knowing the circumstances as well.

But oh, how she wished she could fix it…

How she wished she could give Carl what he'd been asking for and fulfill the longing desire that she and her husband had silently kept to themselves.

But she knew that it was impossible.

Still, tried as she might to accept the fact, the desire was so evident that it was painful.

Amanda longed to have a baby…

Ever since she was a child she dreamed of having a family of her very own that she could love and would love her back as she had with her father and pass down the legacy of that infinite and unconditional love they once shared.

She traced her finger lightly over her infinity tattoo, then shifted her gaze to the gleaming golden wedding band on her hand, closing her eyes as a memory overtook her mind.

 **Flashback to over 30 years ago…**

 _Little Amanda Clarke giggled happily as she ran up the steps of the beach house; pulling her best friend along, and nearly tripping over the long white fabric that was wrapped around her waist._

" _Come on Jack hurry!" She exclaimed as her flower crown fell slightly over her eyes._

" _I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying! Just slow down and be careful! You're gonna trip and bring us both to the ground!" he laughed along with her._

 _Once they both made it inside, hand in hand, they saw Amanda's father holding Sammy while smiling cheekily at them. "Well look who's here! It's the newlyweds!"_

 _Amanda giggled once more as she and Jack held up their hands with pride showing off the creative blue pipe cleaner rings she made._

" _So, now that you're 'married' what do you kids plan to do for the rest of the day?" David asked, chuckling lightly as he watched Jack blush and rub his neck._

" _Um…well…we-"_

" _-We're going to have a baby!" Amanda exclaimed with excitement._

" _WHAT?!" David and Jack exclaimed and did a double take._

" _H-hey wait a minute! I thought you said we were going to have cake after this game! You promised there would be cake!" Jack protested._

" _We will! Daddy brought some cupcakes home from a party at his job and we'll eat it in a minute! Right now we have to get ready for the stork in case he comes by with our baby! This is our chance to be a family! I don't want to miss it!" Amanda replied, not noticing that her father remained frozen in place as they bickered._

" _Well…okay. Fine. But can we do it after we have cake? I'm starved! And by the way, you know that's not really where babies come-"_

" _-OKAY THEN! Well you heard the bride! You two run along in the kitchen and I'll fetch the plates." David cleared his throat and clapped suddenly, cutting off Jack's sentence as he pushed the kids forward ahead of him._

 _After David served the cupcakes, Jack smiled at the sweet taste while shaking his head in playful exasperation as his best friend and pretend wife continued to talk about how excited she was for their game of playing house and pretending to start their own family._

" _You're gonna be a great dad someday Jack! I just know it!" She smiled._

" _You really think so?" He asked in amusement. His smile grew wider as she nodded with confidence._

" _Thanks…You know…I-I think you'd make a great mom someday!" He told her shyly._

" _R-really?" She asked shyly. Jack gave a simple yet confident nod and smiled. "Definitely."_

 **End Flashback.**

She wanted to smile at the memory, but before she could, another darker memory struck her.

 **" _Because of the location of the bullet wounds, and the surgeries required to save your life, the doctor's had no choice. A sacrifice had to be made…I'm afraid that you'll never be able to conceive, Emily."_**

 **" _You're lying…"_**

 **"** _ **No."** _

She put a shaky hand to her stomach as she shook her head trying to force the memory out of her mind.

 **"** _ **Sterilizing you was my gift to the universe…"** _

She turned over in silent agony.

 **" _Do you know what orphans dream of when they stop wishing for their parents to return? We think about filling the emptiness with families of our own…"_**

 **"… _that hope is gone for me."_**

Tears stung her eyes and she sucked in a sharp breath in an effort to gain control, but found that her emotions were a little unorthodox. She then sighed in frustration and wiped the tears away as they fell freely. Suddenly, she heard a light whimper from the foot of the bed. Startled, she turned to see Skipper sitting patiently with his tail tucked underneath him and head slightly bowed. After sitting up and reaching over to him, she stroked the dog's cheek lightly with a small smile.

"Hey boy…What are you doing here hmm? Jack sent you after me huh?" She muttered.

The Labrador retriever whimpered once more, but brought his nose to her face.

"…I never knew how much it would hurt like this…I was devastated before when I first found out that I can't have children but…I thought maybe it was something time could heal or I could eventually learn to cope with, but…instead it just feels like another death of someone I loved…but only in this case…It's someone I've never even known or will ever get the chance to meet."

Her shoulders shook with silent sobs as she expressed herself.

"They both deserve so much…I want to give Carl someone he can play with, someone who can look up to him, and where he doesn't ever have to be lonely…And Jack…He's done so much…I-I just wish I could do so much more. I just want to give him a baby…I want to add more to the family that we already have…to have the family we've always dreamed and talked about all those years ago…But I can't. She sniffed as she murmured bitterly into the dog's fur coat.

" _I can't…"_

Skipper then tried to comfort his master's wife with a few meaningful licks to her face and nudged her softly, earning him a grateful pat and embrace. Unbeknownst to them however, Jack Porter stood behind the cracked door with his head down and sighed after watching them and hearing every word his wife had said.

* * *

 **Meanwhile in another part of town…**

With her vision blurred from shifting her eyes back and forth between thick hard covered books, her iPhone, and the pile of tattered letters, Charlotte shook her head in a futile attempt to clear her eyesight and snap back to life. Sometimes she wondered what she was even doing. It seemed like half of the time she was taking one step forward, and two steps backwards.

" _ **Hey now, careful Sweetheart. You're starting to sound an awful lot like how your sister used to act."**_

That was her two steps backwards.

She loved her sister and had forgiven her long ago for her revenge-driven misdeeds, but she didn't want to be that person; that ruthless yet dexterous person Amanda had created for revenge.

She did want the truth though.

She stood up and took a long stretch; tired from her night of rereading the worn out letters over and over again, and looking for clues within its contents. She then walked towards her kitchen yawning, in need of a nice shot of caffeine in her system.

She was pushing herself too hard. That she knew. But Amanda was her sister and more than anyone else in Amanda's life, she knew what it was like yearning for something you couldn't have and crying for something you lost and couldn't get back.

She'd always remember that feeling.

That emptiness she'd felt, when the doctors had told her she'd lost her baby...She'd always remember that pain. It was something you learned to live with, but not something you could ever forget.

In her case at least, she could try again, and one day when she found the right man to settle down with, she would.

For Amanda however, no matter how many times or attempts she'd make, there was no trying again.

Charlotte didn't want to accept that though. It was too unfair...too cruel.

Hearing Stevie's words in her mind again, Charlotte shook her head trying to get them out; not wanting to accept them but not being able to deny the validity in them either. It was the one thing that didn't make sense. As Stevie had said the other night, Amanda and Jack had been married for seven years now, and that was a huge window for them to have tried and tried again. If Amanda's records really were falsified, then surely they would have known by now, surely there would have been a pregnancy that would have exposed this whole sham she suspected her vile mother of.

Sighing desperately, Charlotte, took a sip of her coffee as she carried it back towards her desk, which was littered with the scattered letters, books, and notes. Nonetheless, the clutter all held little pieces of evidence that had led to her suspicions and fueled her determination to get the truth.

Surely it all meant something...

Surely this wasn't just her getting carried away by wishful thinking.

There was only one way to know for sure.

Adjusting herself in her seat, she picked up another one of her law text books and continued reading, only for her eyes to fall upon a little scrap that was taped on the back of one of the letters. After a gentle effort of removing the frayed piece of paper from the back, she unraveled it only to find a telephone number listed in smeared ink.

Intrigued, her eyebrows rose.

* * *

 **Back at Amanda and Jack's house…**

Though he had always been fascinated by her inner strength and psyche, Jack knew that there was much more beyond the surface when it came to his wife expressing her true emotions. But sometimes she could be as deep, mysterious, and complicated as the waves of the abundant sea when it came to figuring her out; much less getting anything out of her. But watching her calmly wash the dishes while humming a tune that she used to sing with her father as if her previous breakdown never happened was too much for him. He knew that she was hurting. He quietly walked up behind her.

"Oh hey you're back. Is Carl doing okay?" She greeted without turning around, grabbing another plate to wash before loading it into the dishwasher.

Wordlessly, he gently took the plate away from her hand and set it down on the counter so he could embrace her waist from behind. Turning around to face him, about to ask what he was doing, her sentence was cut short as his lips softly brushed against hers.

His sudden gentleness caught her off guard as he continued to graze her mouth in small comforting yet lingering kisses that lasted for seconds at a time. She eventually pushed her confusion away and ran her hand down his light bearded face. Before she could deepen the kiss any further, he broke away causing her to snap back into reality.

"What was that for?" She asked quietly.

"I love you." He replied simply yet honestly as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.

She raised her eyebrows and blinked in response, knowing that there had to be more reason than that, but smiling nonetheless at the sincerity of his words. "Love you too." She turned back around to tend to the dishes.

Jack kept his arms around her. "But to answer your question, Carl's fine. He is pretty concerned about you though; especially since he didn't get his favorite infinity phrase from mom before school-"

He then nearly jumped at the abrupt sound of silverware clattering against a plate, as his wife cursed silently under her breath.

"…I'll make it up to him. I'll make his favorite after-school snack, play his favorite racing game, and look over his sea glass collection with him when he gets home. I can't believe I forgot! The way he must feel right now…" She chastised herself.

"Babe, calm down. It's okay. I reassured him and he knows that you aren't feeling at your best right now. He just wants you to get better since his main concern is how you're feeling. It's mine too…" He told her seriously.

"I'm fine. Just going through the motions. This cold is pretty bizarre…" She replied.

"Yeah I gathered…You're feeling a little on the warm side. Have you gotten any rest at all?" He asked with concern as he ran his hands up her bare arms and felt her forehead.

"It's all I've been able to do, save for the stupid throwing up and constant need to pee." She deadpanned.

"And…you don't want to go to the doctors again why exactly?"

"There's no point. It's just one of those stupid seasonal flus that will pass within a few days or so. Feeling like crap is just part of it, but I'm dealing with it." She explained.

"…Among other things?" He murmured softly in question, making her pause and turn around to face him again as he continued. "Things that maybe include a subject regarding something that we've both always wanted, but haven't really discussed other alternatives like we need to things?"

"How did-"

"I came back after dropping Carl off and heard you in the bedroom with Skipper…" He stated softly.

"-Jack I…I didn't…" She inhaled deeply with frustration as she failed to get her words out. "You weren't supposed to hear any of that…" She finished quietly and lamely.

"But I did…And…I know you're hurting. I wish I could make it better. When you hurt, I hurt too…" He put a hand to her shoulder, wanting to take her into a comforting hug once he saw her brown eyes glisten with unshed tears. She shut them to keep them at bay, and turned her attention back to the dishes without another word.

"…You know it's been a while since we've tried." He started quietly.

"…You mean _tried_ , tried, or tried to have that conversation that we've been avoiding about considering other options tried?" She deadpanned.

"Both actually…"

"There's nothing to try Jack." She stated plainly and bitterly. "You know as well as I do that I can't have children. I can't…give you a baby…" She finished in a regretful whisper.

"And _you_ should know that doesn't change how I feel about you. I love you despite that fact." He declared in all seriousness as he put his hands on her shoulders, and turned her around to face him. "I mean yes it makes things…complicated and it hurts me too, but that doesn't mean we can never have children in other ways. We haven't even taken the chance to see a physician or specialist, or even see what our other options are since we've been so busy with raising Carl and just walking on egg shells with the subject altogether, but well…maybe it's time we brought it up. We shouldn't sell ourselves short."

After a long pause of silence and contemplating, she nodded her head in agreement. "…You're right. You're right, it's just…It's just still really hard. That's all."

"I know…" Jack whispered as he brought her into a comforting embrace.

Their current cuddling session was interrupted however when his cellphone buzzed with a text message.

Confused, Jack pulled out his phone and checked it only to groan in irritation and shake his head.

"What is it?" His wife asked.

"It's Carl. He's asking to go on that trip with Joey again for like the hundredth time in a row. He knows better than to be texting in school! When he comes home I'm going to-"

"-You should let him go on the trip."

Jack raised an eyebrow in disbelief at Amanda's suggestion.

"Listen despite his… persistent efforts, Carl's been a good boy. His grades are going well, he's looked up to on the team, and it'll be good for him to get out of the house and away from his PS4 for once."

"It's just that…Joey's family always camps out so far away…Even out of the city's limits."

-And you're scared of him being too far away from you." Amanda concluded softly.

She took Jack's silence as confirmation. In all honesty, she couldn't blame her husband for being overly cautious. Ever since the real Emily Thorne and Declan Porter died, Jack had always been overly protective of his son. The feelings grew even stronger after the threat of being taken away from Carl for good came into play from Margoux's ruthless misdeeds of payback years ago. From that time on, though he wasn't overly paranoid, Jack was strict on Carl's whereabouts and made sure that he kept clear communication at all times. It was pretty easy since Carl at first did not know any better and relished all forms of attention from his father and newest mother, but now that he was getting older, Jack was starting to realize that his parental control was being tested a lot lately.

"Jack, I understand why you want to keep Carl close, but he's growing up. You can't keep him on a leash forever. It's not so bad right now, but pretty soon he's going to want to explore different things and go different places and that's with or without your supervision and consent. It won't hurt to lighten up on him a little. Besides nothing's going to happen to him."

"Why? Because his adoptive stepmom is also part ninja and won't hesitate to kick ass?" He smirked as he folded his arms and chuckled as she rolled her eyes playfully but shrugged.

"Yeah that too." She couldn't help but let a light chuckle escape her lips.

He contemplated for a moment. "Maybe you're right…I should let Carl go on this trip. Besides it's been a while since we've had the house all to ourselves…" His eyes narrowed suggestively.

"Mm that it has…" She agreed with a light sultriness in her tone of voice. "And just _what_ could we possibly do in this big house all alone by ourselves?" She purred as she sauntered up to him.

"Maybe talk about those other possible options to grow our family?" He tried to suggest wisely as he wrapped his arms around her waist, his eyes resolutely matching the desire that shone through her haunting chestnut orbs.

"…Mhmm we'll have a nice talk…Among other things…" She switched her sultry gaze from his eyes to his lips.

"Oh? And what _things_ did _you_ have in mind Mrs. Porter?" His voice lowered as he nudged his nose against hers gently and tightened his grip on her waist, his fingers running dangerously lower against the silk texture of her cream colored robe.

"…Just a few _things_ we could _try_ out…" She breathed against his lips.

"…Hm what kind of _things_?" He murmured in reply, his mouth already brushing against hers.

Before they could deepen the embrace, both of their phones vibrated.

They sighed, separating from each other to retrieve their phones.

Jack's frown deepened once he read the message. "Oh you have got to be kidding me…" He groaned in exasperation.

"Is it Carl again?" Amanda asked, eyebrows raised with amusement.

"Worse. You know those careless money bags that moved up the street from us? The one with the yacht they kept flaunting like the titanic until it broke? They want me to come over and take a look at it."

"I thought you had already fixed it last week."

"I did. Knowing them they probably poured their Winston cocktails all over the bridge controls and hull." He deadpanned and rolled his eyes. "What message did you get?"

Amanda checked her phone. "It's our Charity Committee…They're having problems with the press again after the whole Chairman of the Board fiasco. I better get down there." She sighed.

"I'll go." He stated.

"Jack." She tried to protest.

"You need to rest. It's not like you're in the best position to deal with reporters right now. I mean you're burning with fever and look like you're about to fall over."

"I told you I'm…" She tried to finish her sentence, only to fall forward into his arms after a sudden dizzy spell. She glared at his know-it-all smirk as he gathered her fully into his arms.

"Don't say a word." She warned.

He shook his head with a small smile. "Come on. Back to bed with you."

Against her protests, he then carried her back upstairs. Though he knew she was capable of handling herself, as her husband, he couldn't help but feel concerned about her condition physically and emotionally. Once he ensured that she was comfortable, he pondered about what he could do to help his wife feel less miserable. His blue eyes then widened with enlightenment as he left the house once more.

* * *

 **Meanwhile back in the Hamptons later that night…**

"Whoo! Well bless my over indulgent on sodium soul! I really must've stuck my foot in that gumbo! I can't even stomach another bite." Louise groaned lightly as she pat her stomach in satisfaction and took a sip of wine from her glass.

Nolan chuckled at her antics as he stretched out on the couch next to her and kicked his feet up on the table.

"See now that is the sweet sound I love to hear ringing from my favorite Southern Belle. Feeling better now wonder twin?" Nolan asked playfully.

Louise gave a contemplative look and then smirked. "Well maybe I'm feelin' a tad bit chipper than before…just a tad."

She then sighed and shook her head as she stared at the empty chair on the other side of the room that belonged to their current yet mysterious friend.

"…I just wish Johnie-John didn't have to miss out…I mean it's not just the fact that I worked my ass off all day trying to get the flavors just right, but well, he's been so wound up lately and tense with the awful conspiracy goin' on, and who can blame him? I mean you never mess with a man's mama, but still…The poor thing's gonna stress himself to death if he keeps pushing himself the way he does." She took another sip of her drink.

"…You really care about him huh?" Nolan asked softly.

"Well of course, I mean don't we both?" Louise shrugged. "I swear these events are just an ironic duplicate of the thorny days of Amanda Clarke…" She stated, but then let a chuckle escape her lips. "Heh…thorny…Ya'll see what I did there?"

Nolan raised his eyebrows in amusement and gave a dry chuckle.

"Hah…yeeah…Thorny….Thorne…Clever. Aand I think it's safe to say that you've had enough wine for tonight…" He slowly removed the wine glass from the red head's fingers and ignored her indignant pout.

"But as for John…Go easy on him Lou." Nolan murmured, his eyes gazing into Louise's seriously, "He hasn't had it easy you know."

She frowned slightly and crossed her arms, not ready to cut him as much slack as Nolan was since she was still sore about him missing their celebratory dinner. "He's so secretive you wouldn't even know!"

Nolan chuckled lightly, "I know, but he's nothing compared to what Amanda was like when I first started helping her. You should have seen her then. You couldn't get anything out of that woman. Her eyes were so vacant and cold, so untrusting….it was truly sad…" Nolan murmured, his voice getting quiet as he reflected Amanda's former persona. Actually the first time he had seen some light in her eyes was when he had first seen her interacting with Jack Porter all those summers ago, which is why he'd always rooted for them, and always pushed them towards each other. "It's hard for people like Ams and John to trust you know, after seeing how easily trust can corrupt, I can't blame them. I can't blame John, not when I've heard his story."

 **Flashback to a few years back.**

" _If you need my help, I'm going to need some backstory. I'm not one for blind dates, not anymore, but don't worry Johnathan, once I kiss, I don't tell." Nolan explained with a secretive smile as he opened a new bottle of Vodka and poured himself and the man across the table from him a drink._

" _This isn't a joke!" Jonathan said on-edge, unaccustomed to Nolan's way of speech. "This is serious!"_

" _Then tell me what happened." Nolan replied, something fierce in his azure blue eyes as he spoke, causing Jonathan to realize that he was in fact taking it seriously._

" _I wish I could tell you what happened, but all I know is that she's innocent. They're painting her as a murderer, as a person guilty of embezzlement, someone who stole and killed to maintain her fortune. But it was never about the money for my mother; that was just an added benefit. For her, her entire career was about her confidence and her goals. It was about striving for what she wanted and achieving it. Her career was her validation that despite the odds, despite being a minority, not only as a woman in a male-dominated field, but as an African-American woman no less….that she could reach the top. And she did...until they kicked her down. They wanted someone malleable, a Chief Financial Officer, who was greedy and wanted affluence and money; someone who wouldn't mind manipulating financial records, if it meant they got a piece from it._

 _"She'd told me once when she came home from work one night, more exhausted than I'd seen her. She said she couldn't stand it, said they were always suggesting little tricks and things to help boost finances in order to manipulate the budget in their favor. But the things they suggested were always on the gray line...just short of...if not illegal. She always found herself talking them down or refusing altogether as she told them the risks. At first, she just thought they were ignorant; unaware that their suggestions were on the illegal side. It's not as though they had been educated as she had on finances. Later on however, she realized that they weren't ignorant at all, but by that time it was too late and they had already set the gears in motion for her downfall…_

 _He nearly slammed his glass down on the granite counter top in anger as he looked up into Nolan's eyes in slight desperation._

" _You have to help me Nolan...My mother always worked extremely hard for me, even though I wasn't always the best son. I resented her in some ways, because we had all this money, but she wouldn't let me touch it, not like the other kids. I didn't get fancy cars or gold watches, I didn't get to blow money like it was nothing. At first I thought she was a stingy hag…but it wasn't that at all! She was just strict. She wanted to set an example for me and just wanted me to learn to work for my goals as she had. She didn't want me to be corrupted by a fast lifestyle. I didn't always understand that...but now I do and more than anything, I want to be able to tell her that face to face. I want my mother's innocence brought to light, like Amanda did for her father. That's why when I did everything in my power to get in touch with her and she referred me to you…I had to take a shot…My mother worked way too hard all these years for her image to be so cruelly blemished…"_

 **End Flashback.**

"Well when you put it that way, I guess I don't blame you for defending him like you did with Emily-er-Amanda. Still, things would be so much easier, for us especially, if our secretive friends weren't so damn…well secretive! I mean, my gosh, Johnnie's more closed up than an un-steamed clam at the bottom of the ocean…It's been years and we still know so little about him…"

"Well…You kind of popped up out of nowhere when you first arrived in the Hamptons and look how that ended up?"

"Yeah…me bein' in a ruckus of a drugged up mess, breakin' away from a mother who's always been like the devil and clingin' on to a mother like figure that turned out to be like another devil, tossed and turned on sides worse than an old fashioned coleslaw for a family picnic in the summer…" She deadpanned.

"…While also making new friends that are now as close as family, becoming your own woman taking control of your life, and shaking up the Hamptons with a country twist by putting down roots in the once desolate district that used to belong to a dynasty of pure evil." Nolan added.

"While also, also having the best friend slash wonder twin slash knight in Versace armor anyone could ever ask for…" Louise added and smiled softly.

"Especially that." Nolan winked.

"Mm then I guess things won't end being so bad after all." She said brightly with a shrug.

"I'll drink to that!"

They both chuckled and clinked their wine glasses, unaware of the eyes that watched them in the window from outside a nearby bush. The man hiding in the bush then retrieved his phone, punching in numbers at a fast pace.

" _Mr. Becker sir? I think we've found the answer to our problem…"_

 **To be continued.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank ya'll so much for the great support, reviews, favorites, and follows! We are having a blast doing this story, it's coming slowly but surely so keep showing it some love! Alright Revengers here we go!**

* * *

They say that New York is the city that never sleeps while Paris is the city of lights, but it is undeniable that as soon as it hits twilight in the bustling and ostentatious region known as the Las Vegas Strip, the city comes to life with the best of both worlds. This is especially true for the top opulent casino resorts where only the aristocrats and advantageous titled people come to play and flash their stats as a trivial means to pass the time.

The same could be said for Vincent Carter, also known as the vice president of the multi-billion dollar company that was currently under fire after the Patterson embezzlement scandal. Despite the calamity, the prominent executive was not going to let such events ruin his night of careless fun as he flipped a meager coin in the valet's direction as the young man prepared to park his sporty yet trendy Bugatti. As he continued to stroll through the immaculate glass revolving doors, little did he know that he was being followed by a beautiful young red head who was attempting to keep her pursuit under-wraps and discreet as possible.

Even though she didn't even want to be there in the first place…

"Tell me again why on god's green earth am I doin' this Nols?" Louise whispered harshly into the small earpiece that was hidden conveniently alongside her dangling chandelier earring as she strutted inside the large casino resort's main hall in a stunning, jade colored off-the-shoulder designer cocktail dress.

" _Because I promised Johnie-boy that we would run a few of his little errands while he's away, and besides, you've been practically begging to help him out all week."_

"But I meant just being a part of the scene like his plus one on undercover events and phony romantic rendezvous and the like, not bein' thrown into the mix in a nest of hungry rabid sharks as bait for some greedy, power hungry bastard! Besides, I don't even know how to play Blackjack! I'm gonna stick out like a sore thumb, a bleeding one in fact!"

" _Lou, I promise you that this is going to be a piece of cake! It's just a little recon work. Besides, you don't really honestly think that I would put you in harm's way do you?"_

She softened at the tenderness in his voice. "Well…I guess not, but-"

" _-Then just trust me on this Louise. Your job is simple. All you have to do is keep tabs on the VP by hiding in plain sight by just being…well, you. Word on the street is that he's got a thing for red heads, so no issue there. And come on, Blackjack isn't that hard. Just think of that corny game show 'Catch 21' only more legit and official with a rather stingy crowd that never smiles and smells like tequila, whiskey shots, and cigars."_

"Well yip-a-dee-doo-dah for me. That doesn't sound difficult at all." Louise deadpanned. She then focused her attention to Carter as he left the bar and headed for the game tables.

"Uh-oh. I better get goin'. Looks like he's on the move." Louise stated seriously.

" _That's my good girl. I'll be in touch if you need me."_

Louise then adjusted her dress where her bountiful cleavage was in full view and sashayed towards the table with her tequila in hand, until she pretended to trip and abruptly spilled it over Carter's expensive designer nightclub blazer while dropping and breaking the wine glass. She quickly feigned a mortified expression and reacted.

"Oh! Well doggone me! I am such a klutz! Please excuse my clumsiness! I am so terribly sorry, Mister…"

"-Carter. Vincent Carter...And not to worry Miss. I'm sure these things happen to the best of us…" The man replied sheepishly once he looked down to inspect the damage of his suit, only to look back up and slowly take in the red head's voluptuous curvy figure. He cleared his throat and continued. "I…I uh…cannot help but feel bad that you never got to enjoy your drink however...How about I get you another one. My treat?"

"Well gol-ly I just couldn't impose! After all I'm the one who engaged in such tomfoolery and ruined your…how much did that suit go for 'bout a hundred grand?"

"Hundred-fifty actually. But who's counting?" He smirked with an arrogant humor.

She held back the urge to roll her eyes.

"Geez and to think all I wanted to do tonight was let my hair down a little, kick my feet up, and fatten my little ol' piggy bank up with some chump change from a round of good old' fashion Blackjack."

"Well that makes two of us! Let's kill two birds with one stone then and hit the bar and tables together. The night is still young and I could use the company."

"Oh I couldn't! After everything that just happened I-"

"-I insist. Please." He flashed a dashing smile her way while offering his arm.

"Well aren't you just the gentlest of souls. In that case I'd be delighted! Lead the way!" She took hold of his arm as they walked towards the bar.

" _Now remember to have your phone on the recording app I set for you Lou. If this guy gets wasted enough he might just spill some juicy pillow talk secrets that could put some major points on the board for Johnie-boy's cause."_ She heard Nolan explain through her earpiece.

She abruptly dropped her purse on the floor and flashed a sheepish smile as she bent down out of earshot and whispered into her earpiece once more.

"Done and done Darlin'. Though I do hope you don't reset my phone to factory settings again. Do you know how hard it was for me to find and re-download all my playlists and songs after that stunt?! Ruthless!"

" _No worries, since you're back on the good guys' side and actually proving to be useful, your Pandora will stay intact. You have my word."_

She rolled her eyes, but then shot up once more with a bright smile and her purse in hand. "Like I said, clumsy me!"

Vincent chuckled at her antics. "Well it might get worse. I doubled up on our drinks. Hope you don't mind. It's been a rather trying week for me and I figured the more benumbed I feel, the better right now."

"Oh is that right? Hope it's not anything too serious?" She replied softly while taking a dainty sip of her drink.

"I don't want to bore you with the details. Let's just say, don't be surprised if you see the rounds keep coming my way continuously…"

"Well if ya need a listening ear…" She covertly let her finger tap the 'record' button on her phone in her purse.

"You're too kind. But I've probably said too much already. But hey, what's a night of fun without a little what did you call it, 'tomfoolery', loose lips, and such right?" He chortled while raising his glass.

"My thoughts exactly." Louise smirked and clicked her glass with his.

* * *

"Huh, what do ya know, she's no Ems, but she's better than I thought…" Nolan mused to himself as he watched Louise work her magic with the vice president effortlessly as they continued to converse on a mini screen he had set up in his Yukon Denali that was parked nearby the resort. Switching to one of his many laptops, he quickly typed away and hacked into Carter's phone applications that he was able to have access to the moment he and Louise exchanged phone numbers. While he extracted necessary information, he paused for a moment and took in his wonder twin's performance.

He was nothing short of impressed not only by the way she cleaned herself up, but also how she was able to carry herself.

He shook his head with a smile and set up a flash drive to finish downloading results. He then noticed his phone buzzing, figuring that it had to be Charlotte Clarke again since for some reason, she had been texting him nonstop about a particular favor she needed. However, after being cramped up in the vehicle for hours, he figured it would be ideal to stretch his legs before they fell into a deep sleep. Still leaving the flash drive's program running, he exited the vehicle, walking a little down the city strip until he suddenly noticed two men in dark suits casually walk up beside him.

"You Nolan Ross?" One of them asked in a deep, gruff tone of voice.

"Who wants to know?" Nolan raised an eyebrow, though his infamous smirk graced his lips, he felt an inner weariness in his gut urging him to run and get as far away from these men as possible. Before he could heed that call, he felt something hard and metal press up against his back as men huddled closer to him to conceal their weapons from the public.

"Our little friends we like to call 'Piss off' pistol and 'Hush-hush' the silencer. They are rather subtle but once we make you get to know them, they leave quite an impression if you get our drift. Now keep walking and do exactly as we say, and maybe we'll make sure they behave and not blow your brains out." The other man whispered dangerously in his ear.

Nolan gulped, his mind racing with every possible scenario he could come up with to rescue himself out of his predicament, but once he saw even more dark suit cladded men follow behind and wait up ahead in the shadows casually, as if daring him to make any sudden moves, he knew he was outnumbered.

So he made a quick gesture as if he was scratching his ear as the men continued to push him forward.

"S-so…w-where exactly are you t-taking me?" He asked, trying to keep the shakiness out of his voice as he felt the two metal weapons press deeper into his back.

"You'll find out soon enough. Now shut your trap and keep walking."

"Okay. Okay. Y-you're the boss. Well, bosses…anyways…plural rule… since there's more than one of you…obviously…I gotta say….that was pretty slick h-how you did that there…coming up behind me all…unseen and stuff…right on the strip. Nice lights out tonight. That Wynn hotel sure is something. Ain't it?"

"We're going to tell you one last time to keep your mouth shut." One of the men threatened in a simple statement.

As their large vehicle came into view up ahead, Nolan kept walking as they commanded, but not before putting down his dark Aviator shades over his eyes and adjusting a certain feature on the rims.

"I'm guessing that's the car we're taking? LV35240…weird number for a license plate. What was 'Viva Las Vegas' unavailable?"

Nolan knew it was risky to sound like such a tease. He knew that the moment the men shoved him in a dark alley and suddenly backhanded him with the butt of the guns and their fists until he doubled over, coughing violently and spitting up blood.

"You're lucky we can't kill you yet kid. However, that don't mean you get to try our patience. When we tell you to shut up, you shut up. Now get movin'!

* * *

 **Meanwhile back at the game tables…**

"Are you sure you are confident with the hand you're playing? Putting down five-hundred grand so carelessly is quite the bluff…" Vincent raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"Are you kiddin' me? I'm an expert at this game Sugar. Don't you worry your preppy pressed suit little head. Besides that was just a little change I had handy in my purse." Louise smiled cheekily.

" _Damn it, there goes my Jimmy Choo shopping spree plans I had for the weekend…"_ She thought and sighed internally.

"Speaking of, you would probably do well to stop dropping your purse so much…I mean it was cute the first few times, but-"

"-Well ya know, what can I say, I had just one too many shots…mix that with being a cluckin' klutz and bam! I'm just the highlight of your night." She giggled, hoping that he would buy her naivety front.

"That you are my dear." He chuckled with a slight hiccup as he took another chug of his drink.

She smiled in relief, abruptly dropping her purse once more on the ground. "Whoopsie daisy! There I go again!" She bent down to pick it up only to pause and whisper harshly into her earpiece.

"Nolan! Damn you! This is the 6th time I'm tryin' to get in touch with you! I need tips on how to play this damn game and I need em' fast! I dunno' how much longer I can keep this u-"She paused her rant once she heard an unfamiliar voice in the background.

" _ **You Nolan Ross?"**_

" _ **Who wants to know?"**_

"Nolan? You there? Who's that in the background?"

She heard some muffled whispers and strained to hear what was happening on his end.

" _ **S-so…w-where exactly are you t-taking me?"**_

"Oh honestly Nols, are you out on one of your rendezvous again?! Now is not the time for such-"

" _ **You'll find out soon enough. Now shut your trap and keep walking."**_

" _ **Okay. Okay. Y-you're the boss. Well, bosses…anyways…plural rule…since there's more than one of you…obviously…I gotta say….that was pretty slick h-how you did that there…coming up behind me all…unseen and stuff…right on the strip. Nice lights out tonight. That Wynn hotel sure is something. Ain't it?"**_

"What the hell is goin' on? Nolan you tell me right now or so help me!" She whispered angrily.

" _ **I'm guessing that's the car we're taking? LV35240…weird number for a license plate. What was 'Viva Las Vegas' unavailable?"**_

"Wynn hotel…License plate…Nolan where are you?! Answer me!"

Her eyes widened as she heard various sounds of grunting and struggling.

"Nolan? Are you alright?! Nolan?!"

"Miss Elliot?"

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she looked up at the Vice President who was eying her with confusion and hazed amusement.

"Wow…I suppose you were right about having a little too much fun…Do you always normally pick at your ear and mumble at the air?" He chuckled, letting out another drunken hiccup.

"J-just a weird ritual I do for good luck before getting into the game is all…Um listen, I-I need to use the little girl's room. I'll be back in a few scraps of a horse's tail!" She rushed out of the room and headed down the long hallway before he could reply.

"Once she ran outside of the resort, she ran down the city's strip until she was in front of the Wynn hotel, her eyes scanning the area frequently for her missing best friend. She shouted into her earpiece.

"NOLAN? NOLAN WHERE ARE YOU?! COME IN! NOLAN?!"

She then dived out of the way as a huge dark colored minivan veered towards her direction, tires screeching down the road as it drifted around sharp corners. Before she could give a piece of her mind, she looked down on the ground and found a little fancy, yet tacky designed handkerchief that she figured had to be part of a man's suit jacket. Once she examined it closely she recognized the familiar design instantly.

Her eyes widened once she noticed the fresh red colored stains on the back.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a picture message.

It was a blurry picture of a license plate, with a text message attached to the photo.

" _ **Get help. DO NOT CALL COPS. Answers in laptop back at home."**_

* * *

 **Back at Charlotte's condominium…**

Charlotte couldn't help but let a little growl of frustration emit from her throat as she looked over her slew of text messages to Nolan Ross and his simple, _"I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"_ message for over the 30th time in the last 4 hours.

She was starting to get a little impatient to say the least.

She had thought being a Clarke and all, she would have gotten some of the same dedication and swift responses, Nolan Ross had given Amanda Clarke on her missions all those years ago. Instead, all she had gotten was the petty little promise that lacked the speedy results she craved for.

" _Now hold on, that's not fair…"_ Charlotte mentally reprimanded herself, chastising herself for thinking so bitterly about Nolan, who had always been nothing but helpful and kind to her. Still…it was frustrating! He was supposed to have gotten back to her about the physician she had asked him to track down (for reasons she had not explained to him yet) hours ago!

Instead, she sat glaring at her text message screen with the little smiley emoji next to his message regarding his promise to reconnect with her when he could.

Normally, she wouldn't be on the fritz like this, but she felt time was of the essence due to the circumstances. What if this guy was on the move? What if she waited too long to catch him if there was a lead? She'd never find out the truth of what happened to her sister. That bastard would get away living a life of luxury and shunned regrets while her sister and brother-in-law would be deprived of having the one special thing that they wanted and deserved more than anything…without being aware of the possible truth and hope that…maybe…that special something they deserved could still happen.

And after everything she had put them through so many years ago, well granted, her sister was the one who put her through hell first, but still, good things came out of it too. She could have continued living her cushy, redundant life in one big fat conspiracy of a lie, never realizing the brutal yet honest truths of her history, but also never discovering the true potential of how strong and independent she was as a Clarke and not a Grayson.

So the results weren't all bad.

Of course, she could easily just let her sister know what was going on at the moment, but truth be told, she was afraid of how she would react. For years, all Amanda had been doing was fighting a rebounding, soul-sucking, battle in achieving a needed justice that was so wrongfully denied. Even to this day, she could see the exhaustion of that war still evident in her eyes. It took years just for her to embrace the peaceful life she now had.

But in time, she had healed. She was managing herself a lot better. She deserved to cherish every moment of the safe and serine lifestyle she now had with Jack and Carl.

They both deserved a break.

So she'd be damned if such tranquility would be interrupted by such a small possible conspiracy that would instantly have her sister back on the battlefield.

Charlotte wanted things to be different this time. She wanted to be the one to set things right and look out for her family. After having everyone call the shots leaving her impacted with whatever the outcome was (that usually drove her to drugs), this one thing…She wanted to do on her own.

She could handle it.

She was a Clarke after all.

But she figured it would be a lot easier to get to the bottom of things with a friend like Nolan by her side. And seeing how he STILL had yet to return her inquiries, she was left stuck trying to investigate the old fashioned way; which included many calls to the hospital the doctor used to work at.

Though hospitals are commonly open 24/7, physician offices are a rarity to reach even at noon; which only added on to the inconvenience of the situation since it was getting later.

But time was of the essence.

Fortunately, the one good thing Charlotte could say about being a Grayson was their unlimited source of connections even in the unlikeliest of hours.

She figured it was time to put that to good use.

Putting her law student face on, she picked up the phone and got to work making calls to the healthcare facility. Claiming that Amanda authorized her to find out specific information and posing as her representative, she had at first asked general questions about her sister's surgeries back when she was shot. She then ventured deeper as she had questioned who was in charge of the surgeries at the time. It took a while, but with a little smooth talking in a self-entitled and confident voice, and using just the right connections she had, she had been able to extract the doctor's name she had been looking for.

 _Dr. J. Galtz_

Charlotte paused as she looked over the name she jotted down with an inquisitive stare. Though the name didn't ring a bell, the initials definitely did the trick as her eyes widened and she scrambled to fish into the pile of letters.

J.G, the same initials, which had appeared signed on the letters she had been able to skillfully scavenge weeks ago. That had been the easy part, but the name was nothing without a location she could find him at.

She tried calling the same hospital numbers that then referred her to other healthcare provider numbers that slowly but surely connected her to the right people that knew about the retired physician.

She was unimpressed when she thought about the conversations she had to listen to, stomach, and endure. The way the people so highly praised the physician and rambled on and on about his many accomplishments.

He was quite the go-getter it seemed; esteemed, prestigious, powerful, and raised on a high pedestal.

Which unfortunately, would make it all the more harder to take him down…

She looked at the little frayed piece of paper she left on the side; a look of weariness clear on her face. She hesitated calling the number since she feared it would lead to yet another dead end, and if it didn't, then how would she handle herself? What information or story could she spin to get the needed info from whoever would be on the other line? She wanted to be prepared.

But seeing how all her prodding and efforts did nothing but give her a meager name…She had nothing to lose.

She dialed the number…

* * *

 **Meanwhile, at Jack and Amanda's house…**

"Jack, will you please just tell me what's going on? You know how I feel about surprises. I'm not exactly a big fan of them…" Amanda droned with a tired yawn as she blindly walked down the stairs, her husband keeping his hands over her eyes, blocking her sight, but guiding her gently from behind.

"Oh really? Because you seemed pretty keen to them when I presented this little baby to you." He smirked and gently brought her knuckles to his lips, briefly kissing both the gold engagement and wedding bands that he presented and placed on her finger years ago.

She couldn't help but crack a little smile as a giggle made its way past her lips. "You got lucky Porter." She stated with a playful, defiant look.

"That I did." He replied, not missing a beat as he smiled. "Now keep walking and just humor me on this will ya'? Believe it or not, I actually put in a lot of effort to make this perfect."

"Wait, make what perf-? " Her sentence was cut short as he removed his hands, only for her eyes to take in the welcome sight of their once messy living room now completely tidy with the lights dimmed low and their dining room table set and decked out with a beautiful floral centerpiece and two long candles set on each side, its gentle flames providing a soft glimmer of light that shone through the darkness of that area.

"My god Jack…You set all of this up? What's the occasion?" She asked with a light chuckle, completely touched by the unexpected romantic display.

"Well like I said earlier, it's not every day we get to have the house to ourselves and now that we finally do and we have time to talk about…y-you know, what we said earlier…I figured we might as well spice things up a bit with an overly dramatic, romantic candle lit dinner for the hell of it before touching on such a serious subject. Besides, you've had it pretty rough lately and I thought maybe this would help put a smile on your face."

"Well you definitely succeeded." She smiled lovingly at him despite her state of fatigue. "Thank you."

Jack nodded returning her smile as he put his hand over hers, happy to see the sadness from earlier gone from her eyes.

"So I take it you let Carl go on the camping trip after all?" Amanda asked as she sat at the table.

"Yeah, Joey and his mom came here earlier to pick him up. He was ecstatic to say the least."

"And you were able to say goodbye without a hitch?" Amanda raised an eyebrow.

Jack hesitated as he blinked and looked away for a moment. "Um…well…"

 **Flashback to a few hours earlier.**

 _Carl strove and fought the urge to roll his eyes as his dad continued to drone on and on about expectations, rules, and guidelines he expected for him to follow while on his camping trip. He figured since his father finally gave him permission to go with Joey, the least he could do was suffer through his dad's consistent rambling and take it with a grain of salt or at the very least, bite his tongue to keep from groaning as he explained once again for the 20_ _th_ _time in the past 30 minutes about the importance of keeping in touch and staying away from poison ivy._

 _Jack continued to talk while checking his son's backpack pockets and putting various items inside._

" _Now remember, I expect you to call me as soon as you arrive in an area with reception. And if you don't have reception, use the phone Uncle Nolan gave you for your birthday since that one can function better in difficult areas. If all else fails, use the extra quarters I gave you to reach a pay phone or one of those emergency phones on the side of the road. I'll have my phone always near me if you need me so don't even think about skipping out on calls. Understand?"_

" _Yes dad…" Carl droned for the 20_ _th_ _consecutive time in a row._

" _Mind Joey's parents and stay out of trouble. Make sure you pack your food up and put it away when you're out there or else you could attract bears. Oh and stay away from the berries in the woods if you see them; they could be poisonous. Don't talk to strangers and be sure to stay close to Joey and his family at all times. No wandering off; don't think I won't find out if you do. And if you can't reach me for any reason, let the park ranger know. I reached their office in the district you're going to and left an emergency contact number just in case."_

 _Carl glared at his friend Joey as he snickered at him in the background._

" _Yes dad. I got it. Can we PLEASE go now?! We should have left like an hour ago…"Carl asked through gritted teeth._

 _Jack bent down to his son's level and put his hands on his shoulders before drawing him into a hug. "Alright, alright, I'll let you go then. Stay safe out there and be careful okay buddy?"_

" _Yes sir I will. Oh! I almost forgot, can you give this to mom when she wakes up please?" Carl asked softly as he put a piece of paper in his dad's hands._

 _Jack glanced at the paper and smiled. "Sure son, consider it done. Oh! And one more thing-"_

" _-OH GOSH! Would you look at the time! We gotta' get going so we can help Joey's parents set up the camp site on the park grounds. Thanks for everything dad, I'll stay in touch! Tell mom I love her, okay? Promise I'll be good! You're the best dad ever, okay we gotta' go, love you, bye!" Carl rushed in one sentence, giving his dad one more quick hug and then grabbing his friend by the wrist to run out the front door before his dad could start another lecture._

 **End Flashback.**

Jack then rubbed his neck sheepishly, "Well maybe I kept him a little bit longer than necessary…Just to lay down some basic rules and all…"

"Mhmm." Amanda shot him a knowing smirk as she rested her chin in her hand.

Jack abruptly cleared his throat. "Oh! Before I forget, he wanted you to have this." He handed her the piece of paper and watched her face lighten up with a sweet and cheerful grin as she read its contents to herself.

" _ **Dear mom, I'm sorry you're sick. Hope this helps you feel better. Get well soon. I love you infinity times infinity…"**_

"He's getting pretty good at making that." Jack mused as he watched his wife examine the almost perfectly drawn double-infinity symbol his son crafted with multi-colored crayons.

"He is." She nodded with a smile and softly pecked the homemade get well card her stepson made. Before she could cherish the moment further, her eyes suddenly popped open with alarm as she sniffed the air. "Wait…Is something burning?"

"Oh god!" Jack's eyes widened in horror as he dashed into the kitchen.

Moments later, after hearing a variety of muffled coughs and curse words from her husband, Amanda got up and rushed after him, coughing lightly as she waved off the smoke fumes that were coming from their oven, feeling the need to throw up one more, but pushing it down.

"Jack? Are you alright?" She managed to ask once she opened the nearby window to clear the air.

"Yeah, I'm fine…Though the same can't be said for our dinner..." Jack answered dejectedly as he begrudgingly threw the now completely burnt casserole dish and its contents in the trash.

Amanda wrinkled her nose at the display. "What happened?"

"Ugh I must have left the oven set to 'broil' for too long and forgot to take the food out. Gosh I'm an idiot." Jack groaned as he palm-slapped his forehead.

"Don't be so hard on yourself…It was a sweet gesture overall and besides it's the thought that counts." His wife tried to reassure him, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah but still…Just wanted one thing to go right tonight! Just one!" He laughed humorlessly and sighed. "Oh well…looks like we're stuck with takeout instead…"

"I'm sorry Babe…What was it supposed to be?" Amanda asked gently.

"Oh nothing, just a futile attempt to recreate the night we had years ago sans the exceptional bottle of Pinot…" Jack replied, squeezing the bridge of his nose.

Amanda shrugged lightly. "Well that doesn't mean the night is over for us yet. We'll just make do and enjoy an overly dramatic, romantic candle lit _takeout_ for the hell of it instead."

Jack chuckled at her twist of his words from earlier and nodded as she pat his shoulder and walked over to the counter to pull out a list of takeout options.

"So what are you in the mood for? I'm not really picky." She reached for her phone.

"I dunno', something where we don't have to use any fancy silverware and adds to the ambiance of this painful moment." He deadpanned jokingly.

"Pizza it is then." She shrugged. They both chuckled softly.

After placing their pizza order, Amanda walked back into the dining room only to hear the sound of bottles clinking and ice shaking. She rounded the corner to see her husband behind the counter of their custom made mini-bar near the foyer.

"What are you up to now?" Amanda asked with amusement.

"Salvaging what's left of our evening. Dinner might have turned out to be a bust but that doesn't mean our drink selection has to be." Jack said as he alternated between pouring bottles of cranberry juice and vodka into the cocktail shaker and shaking it, while fetching wine glasses.

"And here I thought your bartending days were over." She smirked as she folded her arms.

"Doesn't mean that I don't still have a few tricks of trade up my sleeve on occasion, especially when it comes to wooing the missus." He winked at her.

She rolled her eyes playfully, shaking her head at his cheesiness, but smiling nonetheless.

After expertly pouring the blended mix into the wine glasses, he finished them off with a garnish by placing two mini slices of red apples on the glass rims. "I present to you, the Felicia cocktail."

"Hmm, fancy." She raised her eyebrows up with interest.

"Well though it sounds that way, and can make quite a romantic statement due to its bright color, it's actually a pretty simple drink, but it's packed with a punch of bold flavor that'll sneak up on you. _I_ like it in particular since it's so easy to make; just cranberry juice, vodka, ice, give it a magic shake and viola, there ya' have it."

She nodded and raised her glass up. "So, what should we toast to?"

Jack contemplated for a moment. "…How about…to…salvaging the night and being ready to embrace whatever life throws at us next."

She giggled slightly. "Cheers."

After they finished clinking their glasses, Amanda lightly swished the contents in her glass, but before she could raise it to her lips, she abruptly put it down on the table, covering her mouth as she rushed to the sink, regurgitating heavily.

"Amanda?!" Jack got up and ran after her. He rubbed her back soothingly, holding her hair back, noticing that she still had yet to raise her head up. "Are you okay? What happened?!"

She raised her head up weakly, "I-I'm fi-"only to throw it back into the sink.

"I'm taking you to the hospital." He declared.

"No!" She exclaimed once she was finally able to stop retching. "I-I'm fine, honest! I just-it's my fault." She tried to explain, out of breath.

He looked at her with repudiation.

"When you have the flu the last thing you're supposed to drink is alcohol. I was so swept up in the moment that I didn't think. I should have known better, so it's my fault. I brought that on myself." She explained.

"Still, you should at least go to get some antibiotics or something! You've been like this for the past week or so! Maybe even longer! You-"

"-I JUST NEED REST!" She interjected sharply, nearly biting his head off.

Jack blinked at her, clearly taken-aback.

She sighed remorsefully. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap at you. I promise I was feeling much better earlier. You saw me, I was up and had more energy, but I guess I just rushed it when I didn't need to and then I acted careless by almost drinking something I shouldn't. I was already recovering, but right now, I guess I just…I just need more rest that's all."

Jack held a look of skepticism for a moment, before letting out an exasperated sigh and shaking his head at her usual stubbornness.

"If you're not showing improvement by the end of this week, I don't care if I have to drag you kicking and screaming, you are going to the hospital." Jack stated plainly, leaving no room for arguments.

She gave him a look before she sighed and relented. "Fair enough…"

She put a hand to her head, feeling her body suddenly ache everywhere. "I'm going to go lay back down…It's probably what's best right now…" She stated quietly.

Jack sighed but nodded in agreement, inwardly mourning at the abrupt ending of their long awaited romantic night together that unfortunately never got to transpire. "Is there anything I can do?"

Amanda paused, hesitating. "Actually…Yes. You know that chocolate candy shop we took Carl to a few weeks back? I really would like some of their custom chocolate, the same ones I had there before. It should still be open at this time, so you think you could-?"

"Wait…wasn't that place on the other side of town?" Jack furrowed his eyebrows.

"I think so…" She nodded uncomfortably.

"And…you want me to go all the way there…just to get you some chocolate?" He asked slowly in slight disbelief.

She nodded again.

"That place is like an hour drive away!" Jack blurted.

"I know but I really want some right now! Please?" She pleaded, not noticing or understanding why she was sounded like on the verge of choking up.

Jack saw this and put his hands up in surrender, desperate to reassure her. "Okay, okay. I'll just gas up the car real quick and get the chocolates you want. No problem."

"Thank you..." She shot him a grateful smile and blew him a kiss before heading back up the stairs.

Jack absentmindedly made the hand gesture as if he caught the kiss, but frowned with concern and shook his head as he watched her go.

* * *

 **Back in Las Vegas…**

Feeling her heart pound heavily against her chest, as though it was going to burst out and fall to the cold ground, Louise cursed angrily into the night time air, looking out towards the alleyway the van had sped through with her best friend apparently in the back.

She stood frozen at first, the shock of the moment stalling her, creating a blur of emotions between wanting to cry and shout out, or keep staring in a daze, praying secretly that this whole nightmare was exactly just that: a nightmare.

This wasn't what was supposed to happen.

She had known that the act of revenge wasn't a game. After all, she had been acquainted with Amanda Clarke and now with Jonathan and his story, so she understood the pain and their drive.

But with Nolan…

For some reason, by helping Johnathan through Nolan Ross, she'd felt something else: excitement, thrill, like she was a part of something bigger, like she was a beautiful, cunning Charlie's Angel with a purpose. In short, she had felt like she was kicking ass, like they all were! Not just as a pack of united yet bizarre buddies, but as a quirky yet seriously badass team! It wasn't to say that they hadn't had their many drawbacks in their missions, but their victories had been so golden, so clever! And Nolan had always made them seem so effortless.

Because of that, however, she often forgot just how dangerous their particular lifestyle actually was.

She finally snapped out of her daze, her breathing quickening as she struggled to regain control. Her hands trembled as she reread over Nolan's last text.

 _ **"Get help. DO NOT CALL COPS. Answers in laptop back at home."**_

With shaking fingers, she managed to call the taxi, her earlier recon mission long forgotten as she made the calls necessary to ready the jet to take her back to New York.

* * *

Though the ride was sufficient and timely, Louise felt the jetlag creep upon her as she noticed the sun was starting to rise beyond the beach's horizon.

This only added on to her anxiety.

Who knows where Nolan could be, or where he was being kept, or what they wanted from him, or even worse, what was happening to him?!

She sure as hell didn't.

But she wasn't going to let that stop her as she rushed straight into Nolan's house, scurrying to his laptop, her iPhone pressed to her ear as she tried to get ahold of Johnathan for the 50th time in the last 3 hours, calling every 10 minutes on the dot.

But to no avail, she couldn't get ahold of him.

Louise heard the repetitious voicemail once more and hung up, letting a string of curse words flow form her mouth as she smashed her iPhone down on the counter. Due to his lack of response, she was not sure whether he too had disappeared or whether he was just being his usual guarded, avoidant self.

Her heart almost couldn't take all this worry as she clicked through various files on Nolan's secret laptop in an attempt to follow his brief message instructions. Her eyes strained as she tried to find the answer he said was there, but there were hundreds of files to sort through!

The files were extensive in content, ranging from files on bad guys, to files on the suspicious ones, to files on past recon missions and plans for future ones.

She just didn't know which particular file she was looking for out of the vast ones to choose from.

It was worse than looking for a needle in a haystack! At least in that situation you at least knew what you had to find: you had an objective. And you could always tell when you've reached the said objective due to the painful sensation of being suddenly pricked…

But here, she wasn't so lucky.

She pulled out the tacky colored handkerchief, tainted with blood, and clutched it in her fist.

It was clear that she had very little clues and very little time…

Squeezing her eyes shut trying not to think about the fate of her best friend, Louise took a deep breath, remembering how that one kind psychiatrist at her first mental institution, had told her that deep breaths did wonders in stressful situations.

She couldn't say wonders were made as she reopened her eyes, but her thoughts had become slightly clearer and she now knew what she had to do.

She hesitated for a moment, thinking of the possible outcome of her possible decision, but there was no turning back. She couldn't do this alone.

She had no choice…

Picking up her iPhone, which surprisingly hadn't cracked from the abrasive way she'd handled it in her worried anger, Louise scrolled through the "A's" in her contact's list, dialing the one and only person, she knew could help her now…

 **To be continued…**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: SURPRISE! I bet ya'll weren't expecting an update so soon huh? Well we actually wanted to get this done days ago for the occasion of Valentines Day, but…it didn't happen. FORGIVE ME! But no worries, I whipped up another little one-shot treat for the occasion that I hope you all enjoy/enjoyed if you've read it! Now everyone, I need to point something out that deserves special attention: the following opening scene part of Jemily that you will find as you continue reading was done completely by my overly talented collab partner in crime infinityxinfinity777. This will be her FIRST TIME writing a Jemily scene! (Besides the ones she has planned for her awesome story [Before Revenge] so give her some love and beg her to write more lol just kidding, but seriously she did an amazing job. Couldn't do it without her so shout-out. And shout out to RedTailedHawkens for another amazing Jemily story! (THE FANDOM IS GROWING YAY!) OK let's get into this.**

* * *

Trembling slightly as she held the phone up to her ear, Charlotte felt her heart leap into her throat. Seeing as how the number listed on the piece of paper was written in faded ink, she figured that it had been some time since it was in use and was expecting to hear a disconnect message. But as the phone ringing tone sounded, signifying that the number was still in service, she realized that she didn't have much of a plan for what to do or say to whoever would be on the other line.

Nor did she have any creative alias names, legitimate reasons and connections, or anything that wouldn't cause a need for questioning or suspicion…

Just her calling on a whim was enough to raise a bright red flag.

Not exactly the most graceful approach like her sister could have handled it…

Her self-bashing session was cut short however, once she heard the line pick up only to be greeted with an indignant male voice shouting fearlessly.

" _ **Yeah I know it's you, you sorry son of a bitch! But I've had enough of your petty bribery offers. You and I both know damn well what you've done to me! And I'm going to see you burn in hell for it! And as for that medical board that so highly exalts you and the people you pay off to kiss and suck your ass, well, we'll see how loyal they will be once I expose your sorry ass for the crook you are!"**_

Charlotte blinked at the man's vehement ranting session, but wasted no time in committing every sentence to her memory and piecing the reason behind his anger together.

He must have been a victim of Dr. J. Galtz as well. And by the sounds of it, he was out looking for justice just like her.

Wait a minute…

That's it!

She knew exactly how to play this now.

"Pardon me for interrupting, but you're mistaking me for the wrong person. However, I'm assuming by the hostility in your abrupt greeting that you must be another victim of the malpractice performed by Dr. Galtz, which means that we may have a common interest." Charlotte chimed in with a matter-of-fact tone that she hoped would convey her professionalism and not the shred of doubt she felt due to her disbelief that she was actually going through with this…

" _ **Who is this?"**_ The voice questioned with apprehension.

"Someone who can help you. I'm looking for answers myself and you seem to have just the right information I need to bring this so called principled physician to justice." She replied honestly.

" _ **So what, you're like some kind of lawyer or somethin'?"**_

" _More like a recent graduate law student with a specialization in criminal justice that has barely touched on the detailed medical aspects of the law…but he doesn't have to know that."_ She thought, hesitating before she replied, "You could say that…But I can't say too much over the phone since it would blow my cover…Is there a place where we can meet and discuss this further?"

" _ **How do I know I can trust you?"**_ The voice asked sharply in suspicion.

"Well I could ask you the same question seeing how I risked outing myself by calling this number on a whim, but it looks like we want the same thing, and enough time has passed with this doctor getting away as it is, so what do we really have to lose by working together?" She insisted.

The voice sighed over the phone. _**"…You know where Battery Park is at right?"**_

"Near the New York Harbor?"

" _ **You're talkin' like you're not in the area."**_

"I'm a little ways off, but only by a few hours."

" _ **Meet me. We'll talk more there."**_

Before Charlotte could press for more details on how to stay in touch, she heard the line go dead.

Well that was it then.

She got the chance she was looking for.

All she had to do now was take it.

She hurriedly packed all of her necessities, along with the letters and clues she found so far and went to retrieve her keys, only to pause.

 _What if this was a trap?_

 _What kind of situation was she getting herself into?_

 _What if it was dangerous?"_

 _What if it was pointless…A fool's errand, that would be nothing but a waste of time?_

She was having second thoughts about this whole thing, until one thought overruled all the others.

A _memory_ to be exact.

 _It was a couple of years ago, a sunny day of leisure and the perfect opportunity to go shopping at the mall. Who better to bring along with her than her big sis? After clearing her schedule and running a few simple house errands for the boys at home, Amanda accompanied her sister, eager to enjoy some quality bonding time. Though Charlotte wished the boys came along to be the ever humble bag-carriers (against her brother-in-law's dismay), their fun wasn't deterred in the slightest as they nearly hit every store and explored. That is until they passed by one store with a display that made them pause and reflect. It was an adorable little children's clothing shop with two manikin displays: one a simple yet elegant little baby summer dress, and the other being a cute little baby polo/ blue jean short set. Charlotte sighed, pushing down sorrowful thoughts of what could have been, and then smiled wistfully, dreaming of what could possibly be again in the future. However, when she looked over to her sister staring at the same display, her expression was unreadable. She did not smile, nor frown. She just gazed attentively at the two small manikins while absentmindedly bringing a hand to her stomach, unaware that Charlotte was trying to get her attention. Amanda then snapped out of her daze and smiled as if her distraction never happened and pointed to another store that they could check out a few feet away, walking ahead of her sister. They continued the day as normal, but the expression that her sister made was etched in Charlotte's memory..._

And after reminiscing on that particular recollection, Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows in determination before grabbing her keys and walking out the door without looking back.

* * *

 **Meanwhile back at Jack and Amanda's house…**

Yawning gently, Amanda awoke to the sound of Jack's loud snores; her eyes fluttering open slowly as she watched her husband sleep so contently beside her. He had passed out on the bed last night in exhaustion, fully clothed in the same apparel as the night before and laying on top of the covers. The extra step of sliding in next to her under the sheets was seemingly too much. She knew it was her fault as she looked at the empty pack of chocolate boxes on her bedside table. He had driven around town all night, looking for the specific type of chocolates she had craved and requested.

Lifting her hand to his face, Amanda caressed his cheek gently, feeling sympathetic as she watched him breathe in deeply, triggering yet another loud snore that escaped through his nose. It was only when he was extra tired that he snored like this; the sound had always made Carl giggle in fits.

Smiling warmly at the thought, Amanda leant down and placed a gentle kiss on Jack's lips, knowing that he wouldn't even stir in the state he was in.

Shifting out of bed, her feet feeling around for the slippers Carl had given her last Christmas, she stood up slowly, bracing herself for the bout of dizziness to wash over her like in the past recent mornings, or worse, for her empty stomach to churn on nothing and force her to the bathroom.

But such a feeling never came to be.

This morning, she felt surprisingly okay. Although usually her symptoms were a bit on and off as of late, but for now, she knew she had energy and she intended to use it.

Now dressed in her yoga outfit and grabbing her mat, Amanda eagerly made her way downstairs and stepped outside. The sound of the door opening and closing caused Skipper to open a lazy eye before falling back asleep.

She smiled as she walked towards the pier that was not too far off from her yard and set up her mat.

It was a lovely morning.

The sky was a mixture of pink and dark blue hues as the sun was making its appearance into the sky, rising over the lake behind their house.

They were fortunate to have two houses. The beach house, and then a modern, two-story house, just on the outskirts of New York. They had bought that house together years ago, not long after their honeymoon. It had been Jack's idea.

He had known that Amanda would not want to give up her beach house. Not only because it was originally her father's, but also because so many cherished memories had occurred there. It was part of her, and that in turn made it part of him. Besides, he had always loved the idea of Carl playing on the very same beach they had as kids.

But so many traumatic memories had also occurred in that beach house.

And Jack had sensed that when they'd first moved in together: the way his wife's eyes would suddenly linger on a spot with such sadness or how jumpy she could sometimes be in that house, let alone the nightmares in bed.

Wanting to help her, he had realized that maybe it would be good for Amanda to have a different change of scenery. Though it took some time, he'd convinced her and they had looked for another house.

It was finding one that she liked which had taken the most time, but eventually they had.

It was a modern, not extravagant, but peaceful and spacious two-story waterfront house built in a secluded lake area surrounded by trees and nature, but still was an achievable distance into town and with good school districts. She had told him she liked it because it reminded her of the serene atmosphere of Japan, sans the vast mountain tops of course.

It was that house they stayed in year round, saving the beach house for every summer and occasionally Christmas time since winters on the beach created quite a site to behold.

Finishing her yoga and deep meditation exercises, Amanda sighed in satisfaction as she made her way back to the house, showering and getting dressed for the day, before making herself a nutritious breakfast.

Eating slowly in case the food chose not to settle in her stomach, Amanda picked up her phone as the cheerful ringtone she had set for her stepson rang in her ears. The equally cheerful voice of Carl on the other end caused her to smile instantly. She could barely get a word in herself as she listened to him excitedly tell her all he'd done so far on his camping trip. Though she made sure to interrupt him just long enough to thank him for his homemade get well card and to say, "Do you know how much I love you Carl?"

" _ **Infinity times infinity!"**_ was his joyful response.

After promising to give dad a big hug for him, she hung up, giggling at her son's innocent excitement as she finished her breakfast with no problem.

* * *

Not to soon afterwards, Amanda walked back up the stairs, carrying a special made tray of breakfast for Jack. She quietly stepped into the room, placing the tray upon their bedside table as she sat down on the spot of the bed beside her still snoring husband, shaking his broad shoulders gently, wanting him to wake. She was usually more patient, but they didn't often have the house to themselves, and with their romantic dinner being ruined with her fluctuating cold symptoms, she at least wanted to serve him a romantic breakfast and maybe have some _fun_.

Sometimes it was still so hard to believe that she was his, and he was hers and that their love was something fully tangible now, instead of just the little fragments of feelings they'd always held since childhood, but had such trouble piecing together as adults 20 odd years later.

As Jack's eyes begrudgingly began to open and he groaned in protest wanting more sleep, Amanda leant into him placing her lips upon his own to silence him.

It worked like a charm.

Feeling his lips smile against her own, she pulled back ever so slightly, wishing him good morning in a gentle breath, her honey brown eyes staring ardently into his ocean blue.

"Good morning…" Jack breathed back, lifting his hand to her cheek in a caressing motion as he exhaled in relief, glad to see that she looked much better today, before pressing his lips back softly onto her own.

Not breaking their tender kiss, she shifted her body slowly until it was over his, relishing the moment they finally had alone to share with no interruptions.

It was his turn to pull away slightly, both his hands still caressing her face as he took in her appearance. She seemed much brighter and full of life and much less pale compared to the last few weeks. "You're looking a lot better."

"Mm I feel a lot better." She replied honestly with a light purr saturating her tone as she brought her lips to his in a quick peck. "Spoke to Carl earlier, he's doing well! That trip is really doing him some good."

"He called?" Jack's eyes widened a bit.

Amanda nodded. "He said he tried calling you earlier but I told him how you were 'sawing logs'. He understood completely." She said jokingly with a smirk as he raised his eyebrow.

"Sawing logs?"

"You were snoring again. Which is understandable since you had a long night…" She said guiltily.

"I do not snore...much." Jack defended with a yawn.

She instantly gave him a pointed look. "Well that's a debate we can discuss at another time…Anyways, he said to give you a big hug, and to let you know he's having a terrific time and thanks you for letting him go." She finished, giving him a quick yet meaningful hug as to relay Carl's message.

Jack smiled at the gesture. "Guess you were right then, it was a good idea to let him go."

"Uh huh, especially since it gives _us_ some time to have a little _fun_ of our own…" She nuzzled her nose against his, giving him a quick butterfly kiss on his cheek before abruptly and teasingly breaking away. "But first, I made you breakfast."

She got up to serve him the tray, holding in a laugh at his mild disappointment that she got up so quickly.

"Nice touch…" He started, complementing the presentation along with the colorful tulips in the small vase that he figured she'd picked from the mini garden outside before continuing, "but shouldn't this be the other way around with me surprising you?"

"Well you already did last night, but things didn't exactly go as planned thanks to me…So I thought I'd make up for it by making an overly romantic breakfast for the hell of it…"

He chuckled and smiled at her affectionately. "Thank you, it looks great."

She nodded, waiting for him to start eating, only to raise an eyebrow with confusion as he set the tray aside.

Before she could ask him anything, she yelped as she suddenly felt her back hit the bed and with him on top of her pinning her wrists down, a fervent look in his eyes.

"What about breakfast?" She managed to ask as her breath hitched from the excitement and her growing arousal from his actions and intent.

"I'm hungry for something _better_ right now…" He breathed before attacking her mouth with his.

She immediately returned the kiss with equal enthusiasm, matching his ardor naturally. As their kisses grew deeper and faster, they almost missed the sound of Amanda's phone ringing in the background, lost in their own little world. However, the ringing was persistent enough to distract Amanda as she pulled away from her husband's lips reluctantly.

"Don't you dare." Jack groaned painfully, though his warning sounded more like a plea.

"Jack…" She started.

"-No." He insisted stubbornly.

"Honey, it could be important…" She tried once more.

" _I'll show you what's important…"_ He breathed hotly in her ear, his hand running higher up her leg, making the skirt of her sundress ride up as he groped her lightly. Pleased by the small quivering sound that escaped her lips at his touch, he was ready to continue his advances…

But the continuous ringing started to distract him as well.

He nearly growled as they both sighed achingly, ending their kiss as he shifted his body weight off of her so she could retrieve the bothersome ringing phone that so ruthlessly destroyed the mood.

Feeling just as sour as he did about the interruption, Amanda shot him an apologetic look as she reached for her phone.

"Hello?" She answered cordially, masking her frustration.

She knew it had to be Louise Ellis by the sound of the ringtone she set for her, and was thinking that maybe she was throwing yet another party and wanted to invite them over. So ready to respectfully turn down her offer, she was completely caught off guard by the sounds of continuous sobbing.

"Louise, are you there? What's wrong?" Amanda asked with concern.

" _ **E-Emily?! I-I-I mean A-Amanda…I-I'm so s-s-sorry! I-I-I just didn't KN-KNOW WH-WHO else I c-could go to! W-who c-can h-help me…I-I..."**_ Louise tried to speak only for her sentences to come out as broken fragments as she cried harder.

"Louise please, calm down. Take a deep breath and tell me what's wron-"

" _ **It's Nolan! H-he's been…He's been….my god!"**_ Louise tried to explain only to break down once more.

"W-what about Nolan? I-is he alright?!" Amanda asked in alarm since red flags were immediately raised that something was not right as the red head continued to blubber.

Jack was already listening with concern and curiosity as he heard the faint sounds of crying from the conversation, but he then immediately shot up at the mention of Nolan's name, motioning for his wife to put it on speakerphone.

" _ **H-HE'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!"**_ Louise finally wailed.

"Kidnapped?! What do you mean kidnapped?!" Amanda's eyes widened as she demanded for an explanation.

" _ **W-we were doin' some recon work f-for Johnie boy and everything was goin' fine since he was talkin' to me through some fancy earpiece thing, and-and then next thing I know-he-he was talkin' all this crazy talk a-about s-some guys who were takin' him s-somewhere a-and th-then I heard a bunch of other n-noises and went to go s-see what the ruckus w-was and nearly got ran over by a dark van, a-and when I looked down, I saw Nolan's suit handkerchief…c-covered in blood! N-next thing I know, I g-got a text m-message with a weird picture from him sayin' not to c-call the cops, but to get help and look on his computer and stuff b-but I DON'T KNOW WH-WHERE TO LOOK OR WHAT THE SAM HILL TO DO!"**_

Amanda was immediately in that mode, not giving herself any room to react emotionally to the news, but instead tried thinking logically. The vague and broken details of what Louise tried to explain were going to get them nowhere. She needed more information. Knowing that her best friend was detailed in all types of technology he created, she figured he must have added some advance settings that might have proven useful such as a playback feature.

"Listen, you said he was communicating to you through an earpiece…Can you playback the conversation?" She pressed.

" _ **I-I I don't know!"**_

"Louise. Please. I need you to find out and see if there's anything that looks like a 'play' button or shaped triangle or any buttons or labels on that earpiece. Knowing Nolan, he must have programmed some type of playback feature or something that could give us a clue to what happened." Amanda tried to coax her.

" _ **W-well n-now that you mention it…Yeah, I-I see something that looks like the rewind and play buttons like on a DVD player and such but-"**_

"-Good. Play it." Amanda instructed not missing a beat.

Amanda and Jack listened in as the audio played.

" _ **You Nolan Ross?"**_

" _ **Who wants to know?"**_

The couple narrowed their eyes and strained to hear the gruff sounding whispers as it continued.

" _ **S-so…w-where exactly are you t-taking me?"**_

Jack quickly made a deduction. "His voice sounds normal but it's different, almost like he's scared. And if he didn't figure out a way to escape by then, that must mean he was threatened in some kind of way-"

"-He was held at gunpoint. That faint clicking sound is the flickering of a trigger." His wife concluded as they continued to listen.

" _ **You'll find out soon enough. Now shut your trap and keep walking."**_

" _ **Okay. Okay. Y-you're the boss. Well, bosses…anyways…plural rule…"**_

"He was outnumbered..." Amanda started,

" _ **-since there's more than one of you…obviously…I gotta say….that was pretty slick h-how you did that there…coming up behind me all…unseen and stuff…right on the strip. Nice lights out tonight. That Wynn hotel sure is something. Ain't it?"**_

"-And ambushed…right on the Las Vegas Strip." she finished, deducing once more.

"That's a lead at least…" Jack stated, still listening in.

" _ **I'm guessing that's the car we're taking? LV35240…weird number for a license plate. What was 'Viva Las Vegas' unavailable?"**_

Keeping the number of the license plate in mind, Jack reached for a nearby notepad and pen, scribbling down the number as the audio continued. The couple then flinched at the sounds of what they guessed was a brutal beating and their eyes widened once the audio was cut.

"I-is there any more to it?!" Amanda questioned sharply.

" _ **N-no, that was it. I-I ran out to try to find him, b-but by the time I got outside and nearly r-ran over he was gone and all that was left was that bloody hankie until he texted me to not call the cops…"**_ Louise answered tearfully.

Amanda cursed under her breath.

" _ **I-I just don't understand! Why not just call the police and let them help us?! It's not like he's able to, a-and wh-what's the worst that can happen to him if those kidnappers get caught by the time they try anything?!"**_ Louise cried with frustration.

"Either it's because they'll know if he tries to reach out, or there must be guys on the inside that are dirty like Malcom Black had…" Jack guessed bitterly.

"You know what I don't understand? Why the hell didn't you tell us what was going on till now?!" Amanda started out in a quiet anger as her voice rose at Louise. "H-He practically just gave us the clues to his location on the spot that whole conversation! I-I COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING BY NOW! WE COULD HAVE SAVED HIM, BUT NOW HE'S IN DANGER AND PROBABLY DYING AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAUL-"

"-AMANDA! STOP! COOL IT!" Jack interjected sharply, matching her volume and causing her to snap out of her fury. "It isn't Louise's fault! You have no right to jump on her like that!" He admonished.

"I-I…" Amanda stuttered, wincing at the loud sobbing that grew over the phone. "Louise I-I'm so sorry…I-I didn't mean-"

" _ **N-Nolan's go-gonna d-d-die and it's all my faul-"**_

"-No! It's not! None of this is your fault. I didn't mean to lash out on you…I was wrong to do that, I didn't mean to…You have to excuse me, I…I haven't really been feeling myself lately…" Amanda stated softly with remorse.

" _That's an understatement…"_ Jack whispered under his breath, hoping that his wife didn't hear.

The sharp glare she then gave him as she whipped her head in his direction told him otherwise…

" _ **Now see, that's exactly why I didn't want to involve you! What with your severe case of the sniffles I heard you had a-and with you finally over that troublesome life of revenge and such and-"**_

"No, you did the right thing by coming to us. And I promise you that I will find him Louise." Amanda reassured her.

"Lou, you said earlier that Nolan sent you a text. What time was it sent?" Jack asked.

" _ **I-I got it shortly after t-the van drove away…Like around 10:00. A-and this other weird one he sent me that looks like a blurry picture of a brick wall came in like around an hour ago…"**_ Louise replied.

"Good! That means he must still be alive. If they really wanted to kill him, they would have gotten it over with by now…But that means they must want him for something _IF_ they _ARE_ keeping him alive at the moment…" Jack speculated grimly.

"Can you send us the text messages he sent to you Louise? And then you also mentioned something about Nolan's computer files?" Amanda asked.

" _ **Yeah, he said somethin' about answers being in there...I tried to look through them, but well you know I can never understand all Nolan's tech gibberish codes and I just don't have that kind of skill to figure it out! Not to mention Johnie has gone off the radar as well! I wish I was able, but I don't think ANYONE can crack this sort of stuff but Nols himself!"**_

"Or someone with his skill…" Amanda reasoned under her breath. "I'm going to make a phone call. We'll be in touch. And Louise? Don't worry…we _will_ find him." She softy reassured her once more.

" _ **Thank ya'll so much…P-please let me know if you find anything…"**_ Louise pleaded.

"We will, promise." Jack reassured. Once Amanda hung up, he turned to his wife. "So what's the plan?"

"Fight fire with fire." She replied, already dialing another number into her phone. Ignoring her husband's inquisitive look, she spoke seriously into the phone. "This is Amanda Por-er-Clarke, formerly known as Emily Thorne…I know it's been a long time, but I need your help. It's about Nolan Ross. He's in trouble, and I think you're the only one who can help us…"

* * *

 **Later...**

Amanda's mind was racing with multiple plans and scenarios as she walked back and forth from room to room, packing suitcases. The person she contacted earlier was none other than Javier Salgado, Nolan's former protégé who, fortunately for them, was eager and raring to help them once he found out his mentor was in danger, and of course the fact that Charlotte was still around was a good incentive too...

Though they didn't give him much detail on what transpired, mainly because they were still in the dark as well, he started making progress once Amanda forwarded him the text messages Louise sent her along with an overview of what information was on Nolan's laptop that Louise couldn't crack. He then tracked down the information of the license plate number Jack wrote down and found its strange logo that had the makings of a dollar sign symbol, except that the 'S' shape was the form of a specific snake.

After digging deeper, he found the origin of the logo belonging to a dangerous (impulsive and ill-structured) mafia known as the Black Mamba Organization. Though they were not known to function in the structured and deliberate methods a normal mafia would, they were prone to get what they wanted when they wanted when it came down to their money affairs. Inspired by the most deadly and poisonous African snake itself, they based their business format in the way that the snake operates. Though they all found it strange and unorthodox, the group knew that by the sounds of it, these crooks were nothing to mess with, and if they didn't get Nolan out soon, lord help him…

His demise was not going to be pretty…

So now that the group had a clue on what they were dealing with, the questions still remained: What did those crooks want with Nolan? How were they going to find him? And most importantly, how could they take this group down for good so that they're no longer a threat?

Baby steps.

Javier then got some information on one of the head members of the organization: Devin Becker, also known as the judge, jury, and executioner when it came to dealing with certain cases. The mafia did an excellent job in remaining hidden and were mainly a covert gang. However, one of the head members' brother, Dylan Becker, who was also conveniently friends with the vice president of Patterson's company, seemed to be the snag in the mafia's structure since he was anything but privy. Based upon the information Javier found out, the man was powerful in status and wealth but incompetent, careless, ruthless, and arrogant. He lived for partying and gambling on a daily basis and had a huge weakness for women; mainly brunettes. It was a matter of time before he started his own sex trade.

Amanda knew exactly what to do at that point.

Truth be told, their mission was actually very simple compared to all that she had to endure in the years' past.

It would be a simple search and rescue.

She's done it before. Many times in fact.

Gain access and infiltrate the enemy's camp, keep the objective in mind, expect the unexpected, remain in control, rescue the victim, expertly take out the enemy, lather, rinse, repeat.

No problem.

And Amanda reassured them as much: that she was experienced in circumstances like this and that she'd rescue Nolan in no time. She instructed them to stay in touch and arranged for Javier to be close by as their secret weapon and resource and encouraged him to keep following leads. She then instructed Louise to keep trying to get in contact with John. With her plan churning thoroughly through her mind, weighing out the pros and cons, what could go right, what could go wrong, and how to be ready, Amanda was ready to get down to business and put her plan to action.

There was just one little detail she left out that was a possible disadvantage that she failed to include however…

"Okay, I just got off the phone with Joey's parents. They're fine with keeping Carl for longer than the weekend while we're gone. One of our neighbors is okay with watching Skipper while we're away too. I also tried looking for different flights that go straight to Vegas without layovers, but the best one I was able to find leaves early tomorrow morning. We can book that and head out first thing before sunrise."

Hubby wanted to tag along...

Well, that could be a problem…

"Wait, what do you mean ' _we'_?" Amanda asked pointedly with slight hesitation, scared of the answer.

"You don't actually expect me to just let you go at this alone do you?" Jack folded his arms.

 _Right, because that's all she needed, for the love of her life to get involved in spontaneous danger that not even_ _ **she**_ _could predict how severe it was and have the possible chances of losing him in the process…There was not a chance in hell she was going to let that happen. However, she could tell by the determined and headstrong expression on his face that he wasn't going to just stay on the sidelines without a fight._

 _But he had to._

 _She needed him to._

 _For his own protection._

 _For her own peace of mind._

 _She couldn't lose him…_

 _She refused to._

"You can't come Jack. It's too dangerous." She stated firmly, shaking her head.

"All the more reason for me to go. You can't do this alone. And there's no way in hell that I'm letting you. I mean you don't know what you're dealing with nor what they're capable of. You need backup." He insisted firmly.

"I can handle myself!" She snapped automatically.

"Right, because you've been in perfect condition as of late." Jack retorted with heated sarcasm.

"I'm feeling better now! I have more energy and-"

"For how long?! You don't know how long it's going to last! It could just be a phase! You don't even want to get it checked out and now you're trying to go headfirst in unknown danger all by yourself thinkin' like you're invincible or something? That's stupid Amanda!" He raised his voice, glaring at her.

She raised her voice even louder. "LOOK I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! I'VE HANDLED MANY SITUATIONS LIKE THIS AND HAVE TRAINED-"

"-I DON'T CARE IF YOU'VE SINGLE-HANDEDLY STOPPED A MOVING TRAIN BEFORE OR OWN YOUR OWN KATANA! YOU CAN NOT AND WILL NOT DO THIS ALONE!"

They barely heard the sound of barking and slight growling from downstairs as if Skipper was warning them to calm down.

Amanda then pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, angry that he refused to back down. "I do NOT have time to argue about this! NOLAN NEEDS ME!"

"I GET THAT! I'M WORRIED ABOUT HIM TOO! BUT AMANDA, YOU CAN'T JUST GO ALONE ESPECIALLY IN YOUR CONDITION! IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THE BOTH OF US WENT AND HAD EACH OTHER'S BACKS! WHY ARE YOU SUDDENLY SO AGAINST THAT SO MUCH?!" He questioned angrily with a hint of hurt in his tone.

 _It would be so much easier for her to just explain how she didn't want to lose him…_

 _How she was scared if anything happened to him…_

 _How she just wanted to keep him safe and couldn't bear the thought of anything else happening to him seeing how in his life time he had been held at gun point, beat half to death, shot, stabbed, and suffered so much when it involved her and her ongoing war all those years ago…_

 _But her recently ever changing emotions causing a severe lack of control in stability had other ideas…_

 _But hey, if hurting feelings was what it took to keep her husband safe and out of harm's way, then so be it._

"I SAID you're not going. That's final." Amanda reiterated leaving no room for arguments as she shot him an icy glare.

She wanted to wince at his wounded expression, but kept a steel face, hoping that he'd back down. Before she could sigh in relief at his silent surrender, she was caught off guard when she saw his expression harden as he got up in her personal space.

"We're losing daylight here. Like you said, Nolan needs us. I care about him too and there's no way in hell I'm leaving you alone. So whether you like it or not, whether you want me to or not, I'm coming with. So you can get good with it, get over it, and get packing, or bitch about it all you want, but I'm going. End. Of. Discussion."

Amanda barley felt him brush past her to go pack his own suitcases as she stood in shock. Apparently he was pretty insistent on going with her no matter what. And by his tone, there wasn't a word she could say to convince him otherwise…

Well crap.

Looks like it was time for plan B…

* * *

For the rest of the day, tension seemed to be high yet unspoken with the couple. However, Amanda tried to reassure her husband that he would let him tag along and that he was right about it being beneficial and that they should stick together after all. Relieved and happy that she agreed, Jack continued to help plan their trip for the next day.

However, later that night, after being sure that he was in a deep sleep, Amanda got up and turned off the alarm setting that was set on their clock to wake them for their trip, and accessed the flight schedule app on her phone to cancel their flight, while quickly setting up another one with a private jet service. Making sure their suitcases were not moved in their closet, she stealthily retrieved extra ones she packed for herself earlier and rushed to the bathroom to turn on the faucet and light, keeping the water running as she shut and locked the bathroom door. Trying not to let the guilt and possible negative consequences get to her as she readied to leave out the door, she reassured herself that this was for the best and gave a longing and remorseful look at her husband as he slept, running a careful finger down his cheek and replacing her finger with her lips as she whispered, "I'm so sorry Jack…" she then gently pressed her forehead to his ever so slightly as not to wake him. _"It has to be this way…I have to protect you…No matter what. I can't lose you…"_

She then quickly made it out the door.

* * *

Jack didn't know what it was that woke him up so suddenly…

He blamed his abrupt insomnia on all those recent nights that his wife would rise out of bed to start throwing up in the bathroom.

It was almost like a ritual for him to make sure she was alright before he would nod off back to sleep.

That didn't happen this time.

He noticed her absence from the bed; that seemed normal, and then looked up to the entrance of their master bathroom to see that the door was shut, but the light was on with the faucet running. Figuring that she was unable to hear him when he called out to her, he turned over on his side in an attempt to get comfortable and fall back asleep.

Only to fail miserably…

Something wasn't right.

He could feel it.

He stared at the alarm clock on his nightstand. It was still early. They'd need to be at the airport in a few hours. He then scanned the rest of the room, mainly the closet. Their suitcases were all packed and ready. Suddenly, his eyes squinted as he saw something on the floor. And that something in turn made his eyes widen as he got up out of the bed and inspected the closet. Though nothing was out of place in the slightest, the little object he picked up off the floor said otherwise…

Especially since it wasn't there before…

" _She didn't…"_

He rushed over to the bathroom, knocking on the door calling for her again, only to receive no answer. He then positioned himself and kicked the door open, only to find the bathroom empty with the light on and faucet running.

" _She did."_

He cursed repeatedly under his breath, as he dove for his phone, ready to call her and give her a piece of his mind…

Only to pause…

Well crap.

Looks like it was time for plan B…

* * *

Jack browsed his phone for a specific flight scheduling app: a private jet service company to be exact. Earlier when tension was still pretty high and words were still unspoken, he saw Amanda browsing the site on her phone, but noticed how she was very discreet, shifting from different windows and text messages. Though he didn't question or suspect anything, he remembered the website she went to and kept it in the back of his mind.

Looks like he would need it after all.

He recognized the service. It was one they had used before. Nolan recommended and used it for one of his spontaneous vacations that he insisted they'd all go on one time…Despite the many misadventures on that particular trip, Jack and his wife became friends with the pilot.

All it took was a phone call.

After a friendly greeting and subtle digging, he found out that the pilot had seen his wife there earlier and that they were prepared to take off for Las Vegas, but the flight was delayed due to the jet needing more fuel.

" _ **Should I give Mrs. Porter your regards?"**_ His friend asked.

"Oh no, that's okay. I'll see if I can reach her myself, thanks." Jack replied in a friendly yet slightly strained tone, hanging up the phone soon afterwards.

* * *

Amanda sighed as she made her way down the plane's aisle, searching for a good seat as she licked at her ice cream cone she craved for earlier. Now that her plan was working, this was not the time to get emotional; at least that's what she tried to reassure herself as guilt ate away at her from her previous actions.

It was really for the best.

She was thinking about him…His safety…

She couldn't have him in harm's way…

Not now. Not ever again…

And though he most likely felt just as strongly about her, she was experienced in these types of circumstances. She was trained for it. She could handle herself…

So pushing down the uneasiness she felt, she steeled herself as she found her desired seat and continued to think of what she needed to do to rescue Nolan. But for some reason, she couldn't help but have that gut feeling like she forgot something…

" _Hope you don't mind, but I took the window seat."_

She jumped, startled at the voice that interrupted her thoughts until her eyes then widened in astonishment and realization at the familiarity of the speaker.

"I know how much you usually enjoy sitting with a window view, and I would have saved it for you, but to be fair I didn't exactly count on my wife DITCHING me so…"

She slowly turned her head to see a very pissed off Jack Porter drumming fingers on his folded arms as his icy blue eyes pierced through her enlarged brown ones.

"By the way you dropped your keys." He stated, keeping his glare directed at her as he showed her the object that he found earlier on the floor of their closet.

Her mouth remained agape slightly in disbelief as she slowly reached for the keys, while his glare deepened.

Well crap.

 **To be continued...**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: That's right everyone! It's that time again! This chapter was actually going to be longer than this, but we didn't want to keep you all waiting! Since I'm spitting this chapter however, the conclusion will be updated a lot quicker within the next week or so, so no worries once your each the end (especially because things might get a little heated in this one). As always, please read and review to let us know how we're doing and thanks for reading!**

* * *

Nolan Ross couldn't help but jump at the sound of the large metal door creaking open and slamming shut all of a sudden, indicating that he now had some very unwanted company as their boots pounded heavily against the cold concrete floor towards his direction.

As much as he'd love to escape the gorilla sized men that were responsible for his capture, the fact that he was chained to a wall proved that desire to be rather pointless-not to mention that his body was still aching from that ruthless beating from hours ago. Even now, he could still taste the dried blood that ran from his nose and lip and could barely see from the swelling of his black eye. Judging by the searing pain in his abdomen that made its presence known when he tried to move a certain way, he guessed that his ribs were probably cracked a bit too.

As the men continued to approach him, he glanced at their rough, calloused hands and wondered briefly if it was a possibility that their fists were made of iron instead of flesh and blood.

He gulped silently as the large men stepped aside to reveal another man, shorter than them in size and seemingly less intimidating since he was dressed in an expensive suit and trench coat, along with a weird shaped snake symbol like crest, but he held a rather devious glint in his eye that made the techno-genius's skin crawl.

Nolan was barely aware of the sound of his chains being loosened. Before he could blink, he was abruptly hoisted from his spot and forcefully led away by the men into a smaller, confined room that had only a table and computer and was surrounded by rusted walls. Despite the decayed quality of the small space, he noticed that the computer was up-to-date. The gorilla sized men then pushed him down into a metal chair and chained his ankles to the table. He then noticed the man in the suit and trench coat approach him wearing an artificial smile that although seemed welcoming, was purely sadistic.

"Nolan Ross I presume? I must say, it is a great pleasure to meet the man with such a powerful status! Multi-billionaire, techno innovator, once outmatched CEO of Nolcorp, and if my sources are correct, mastermind of the Initiative terrorist group! Your reputation certainly does precede you."

Nolan would have corrected and retorted in response, but it didn't help that his mouth was gagged and taped shut.

The well-dressed man then circled around Nolan, examined his battered appearance, and put a hand to his chin.

"You'll have to excuse these gentlemen here…they get so, I guess you could say, _hyper_ when making new friends…Though they did say you gave them lip so I guess they couldn't help themselves. But rest assured, as long as you give me what I want, I'll make sure that you will not be harmed." The voice reassured in a false comforting tone.

Nolan's incessant muttering as he wiggled in his chair, made the man blink for a moment before smiling once more, and ignoring the piercing glare of his captive.

"Oh, how rude of me, I haven't properly introduced myself nor given you a proper explanation of your purpose here. I am Devin Becker, one of the top head members of a little humble organization we like to call the Black Mambas. It sounds silly I know, but we cannot help but be inspired by such a rare and magnificent creature…" Becker motioned for one of his men who was fearfully holding a live black mamba snake to come over, "it holds a power wherever present. Nothing and no one dares to cross its path, and even when someone tries…the threat is nullified…permanently without a hitch. Charming wouldn't you say?"

Nolan's eyes then widened in horror at the sight of the highly venomous snake slithering around the neck of the shaking henchman as Becker smiled at it fondly.

"Of course, nobody's perfect. And even such fine creatures like these can get rather… _feisty._ "

Becker continued to smile, despite the sound of his henchman grunting in pain and panicking from suddenly being bit. Not even fifty minutes later, the henchman's body fell in a heap on the ground, while another member gathered the snake carefully into a cage.

Nolan didn't know what horrified him more: the fact that he just watched a man suffer in agony from one of the most poisonous snake's bite in less than an hour and would most likely be left there to rot and die within the next few hours, or Becker's expression which held a sense of pleasure at the sound of his henchman's terrified grunts, pleads, and screams until he gurgled and choked on what was his final breath until the venom would take over completely and kill the man. The suited man practically closed his eyes, inhaled, and exhaled peacefully as if he was taking a breath of fresh air on a warm, sunny day.

" _What is this guy, a sadist?!"_ Nolan thought as his eyes remained wide. He couldn't even blink.

"Now. Let's get down to business." Becker stated formerly, leaving no room for arguments. "The reason why you are here is rather simple actually. You see, my organization is very thorough when it comes to our assets and finances. We strive very hard to make sure a penny isn't out of place…especially when favors are _owed_ to us. While trying to make a rather large transaction with some mutual friends of ours, we were unfortunately _intercepted_ …"

" _No way…he couldn't be talking about… please tell me he's not referring to Patterson's company and the Chairman of the Board I took down!"_ Nolan thought fearfully, though he hoped it didn't reach his eyes.

"-One of our connected colleagues who was responsible for handling the affair informed me that he was _hacked._ "

" _Damnit! Oh yeah, he's definitely referring to Patterson's company and the Chairman of the Board I took down...Shi-!"_

"-It is vital that we remain as covert as possible you see, so unfortunately with the leak out, we had to ensure that we eliminated any possible threat or further exposure. Things got messy…The poor man couldn't handle the guilt on his conscience and committed an unspeakable act. Such a tragedy…" Becker shook his head as if empathizing in a moment of silence.

" _Oh my god, this sadistic bastard must've murdered the chairman and passed it off as a suicide!"_ Nolan's eyes widened in horror and realization.

"Anyways, despite the unfortunate circumstances…life goes on and as you well know, business waits for nothing and no one…We are still in the process of retrieving our missing assets, but we've seemed to hit a snag since we're not exactly _tech savvy_ you see. We figured that maybe given your reputation and expertise, _you_ would be perfect for catching the hacker responsible and help get our business back on track." Becker explained brightly, his smile displaying a concealed threat that expelled any opposition.

Nolan kept his glare directed at him, remaining silent.

"As you can see, we've generously got everything set up for you. Apologies for the eerie setting, but part of remaining exclusive means having to adapt to certain environments. I have the utmost confidence that you'll give us exactly what we want Mr. Ross…As the live display you've witnessed earlier was hopefully a convincing incentive. We'd like to consider that an insurance policy on our part that you will so graciously offer your humble services. You want to know what the beauty is of black mamba snakes? Their impulse. They are rather aggressive reptiles that do not take threats or discomfort lightly…They can strike multiple times in an instant before you even realize it…And by the time you do, well…it's just too little-too late. We like to take after such methods. "Becker explained calmly while walking over to the fallen henchman who was now comatose.

"A single bite, if you're lucky like my dearly departed friend here, can leave you up to 7 hours until death. The first twenty to forty-five minutes you lose your ability to speak, gasping for what will be your final breath before you're paralyzed and unconscious…from there...the rest is history…I am aware however, that such cyber tasks take time and effort. Therefore, I will be merciful and give you seven days to find this hacker. If you refuse, try to escape, or expose our organization in any way…let's just say, there will be a reinstatement of our insurance policy…only this time you will partake in the demonstration in a more… _specific_ and _detailed_ example…"

Becker's devious smile widened as he saw the defiance in Nolan's gaze all but dwindle as it was replaced with fear.

"Well then! Enough with the pleasantries, we won't take up any more of your time since I'm sure you have a lot of work to do, I'll just let you get to it then!" Becker tipped his hat cordially as he and his men left the small, confined room.

Once he was alone, Nolan let out a shaky muffled breath he didn't realize he was holding and gulped. _"Okay…Let's sum this all up shall we? One moment, I'm in the zone chalking up points on the board for Johnie-boy's cause, and the next, I'm ambushed, attacked, and got the crap beat out of me, bound, gagged, chained to a wall, then relocated in a smelly, rusty looking room with the latest updated computer and threatened by a guy with the sick swag of Conrad Grayson, the psycho side of Tyler Barrol, and the viciousness of Malcom Black all rolled into one twisted human being with a fascination for the world's deadliest and most venomous snakes that he just let kill one of his own men and will most likely do worse to me if I don't give in to his demands…Now for the mixed bag! The good news: they'll keep me alive and don't suspect that I was the one responsible for the hack, bad news, I AM the one responsible for the hack and I have limited time to find the said hacker culprit, which is still me, before I become their pet snakes' chew toy...And I can't reach out for help…Fun."_

Nolan then began to think of his clever best friend and inspirational sensei. _"If it were Ams…she'd handle this gracefully I bet…Or at the very least, would pick the lock with a measly hairclip…But I'm not her…Nor do I have anything to get me out of this mess…Oh Ams…I wish you were here…Wonder what would you say at a time like this?"_

" _ **When pressure builds and disaster is evident, emotions can become your number one enemy; its natural distraction is a prelude to your downfall if you fail to control them…A rational state of mind is a must and is crucial to your survival."**_

Nolan then groaned helplessly, before a set, determined expression graced his features. Now was not the time to cower like a well…coward. Keeping everything he learned from his best friend in mind, he then looked at his situation logically. These guys were not going to expect anything less than what they wanted from him and obviously he couldn't give them what they really wanted since he was the perpetrator they were having him seek after, so he'd need a distraction. He'd bait them, buy some time, come up with false yet convincing leads that will build up their confidence in him just enough until he could legitimately seek help and escape before the deadline. He had the skills to do it, and he knew it was possible since he already reached out through the text and picture messages he sent Louise. He could only hope that she would come through for him. He knew she would. After all, they weren't wonder twins for nothing…

As he turned and started pecking at the keyboard, he could only pray and hope that his plan wouldn't backfire. More than anything, he thought it would be nice to have a little help from his beloved sister and sensei, but for now, he was on his own.

All he could do now, was buy time and wait…

* * *

 **Meanwhile, somewhere in Las Vegas…**

The peaceful setting of the tastefully decorated and spacious master suite in one of the most extravagant resorts on the Las Vegas strip would leave any guest in awe, especially for any guests that so happened to be lovers getting away from it all and indulging in a romantic rendezvous. The top floor window/balcony view that displayed the glitzy city's lights were a sight to see, along with the lavish polished furniture, granite countertops in the attached kitchenette, and sunken bathtub in the gleaming marble coated bathroom. The chandeliers hanging from the top were also a nice touch and tied the room together beautifully. However, all of these features were completely disregarded as an angry Amanda Porter threw open the door and stormed inside the master suite, her even more furious husband hot on her heels.

"Okay, I must have missed something here. Because there is no way in hell you could possibly be angry right now. I'M THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE-no-scratch that- _I AM_ PISSED OFF RIGHT NOW AFTER THAT LITTLE STUNT YOU TRIED TO PULL!" Jack nearly shouted as he slammed the door of their suite shut.

"You're not supposed to be here." Amanda muttered darkly as her glare deepened at him.

"Yeah well that makes two of us." Jack replied, not missing a beat as his glare remained just as cold.

She sucked in a breath and shook her head, still in disbelief that he actually tracked her down and followed her all the way to Vegas. She found a "Do Not Disturb" door sign and hung it on the door as to fend off any prying eyes and ears. Good thing she paid top dollar for a sound proof room, because she could tell things were about to get ugly…

It was no fun plane ride earlier that was for sure. Tension was higher than it's been in a long while between the couple and no one dared to say a word, mainly because they were attempting to remain civil in public, or if they did try to say anything, it would only burst into flames. Instead, many words and expressions were brutally exchanged in silence through icy glares, folded arms, and clenched fists.

Pressure was building all throughout those hours however, and it was only a matter of time before they'd explode.

Now was the moment of the combustion…

"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO STAY HOME JACK! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY HAD THE NERVE TO FOLLOW-"

He rounded on her before she could finish her indignant sentence. "-AND I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY HAD THE NERVE TO LEAVE WITHOUT ME! WHATEVER HAPPENED TO _LET'S STICK TOGETHER?!_ "

"I HAD MY REASONS FOR DOING WHAT I DID!" She defended, raising her voice louder.

"OH WELL DO TELL BECAUSE I SURE AS HELL WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT!" Jack folded his arms, matching her tone.

She hesitated for a moment, actually contemplating on just revealing the truth of her fears and concern for his safety, but knew that he would still insist on helping her anyways, so she kept her defenses up, shook her head, walked around him, and attempted to head into the bathroom.

"I don't have time for this. Time's running out, Javier's probably found some new info, and I need to get going if I want my plan to wor-"

"-Don't you DARE change the subject like you're just gonna blow all of this over. You said you had your reasons for ditching me so you're gonna tell me them now." Jack demanded, halting her before she could make it into the bathroom by shutting the door abruptly and holding it shut as he blocked the entrance with folded arms.

She took a deep breath once more to calm down and pushed down the fury that washed over her at his stubbornness as she said in a strained, even tone, "Look. I get that you just want to help. But the fact of the matter is you can't. You. Can't. You're-y-you're too incapable."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Jack rounded on her once more, clearly insulted.

"Exactly what I said Jack! You don't know what you're up against, what this group is capable of, nor how to handle them!"

"Oh! And I suppose you do?!" He glared.

"Yes! Yes Jack! I do! Unlike you, I was trained for situations like thi-!"

"-I can take care of myself! In case you've forgotten I had my own training too! I was a cop before!"

"-For a very short time, but that's not the poin-"

"-And now you're saying that I can't hold my own all because I didn't go to some stupid fancy kung Fu ninja school like you and Aiden did?!"

"THAT'S NOT IT!" She shouted.

"THEN WHAT?! WHAT IS IT AMANDA?! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY AND WHY THE HELL CAN'T YOU JUST TRUST ME?!" He shouted back at her, his hurt barely hidden behind his anger.

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT TRUST!"

"THE HELL IT'S NOT!"

They were in each other's faces at that point.

They had their fair share of fights, but this was starting to take on a new level. Questioning trust? That was absurd! Of _course_ she trusted him! It was the _unknown_ that she didn't trust! It was the possibilities of unforeseen danger that could end in a fatality and rip him away from her life forever in an instant like it almost did so many times in the past, and like it did with Aiden Mathis. _THAT_ was what she didn't trust nor was it what she wanted. But she _also_ didn't want their relationship in such a calamitous state. As much as she didn't want her husband getting involved, whether he would understand if she just explained it to him or not, she couldn't let this fight get worse. A line had to be drawn. This wasn't what she wanted. This had to stop now.

She cursed herself as her eyes started to sting, not wanting to give into her suddenly over-emotional state, but found herself tearing up nonetheless.

"I _DO_ trust you Jack…It's just-"

"-Well you sure have a messed up way of showing it!" He shot at her spitefully.

Before she could open her mouth and spill out her confession desperately, her phone rang with the caller I.D. revealing to be Javier. Figuring that he had new information on Nolan's whereabouts, she immediately regained her focus and answered the call.

Sure enough, Javier did find some useful information regarding Nolan and Dylan Becker. Though it took almost forever and was impossible to crack, Javier managed to break into some of Nolan's defense systems in his laptop and scope over a few files. Once he found out that he was not the only one gaining access, he hesitated for a moment, fearing of who the cyber intruder could be, until he realized that no one had the capabilities of breaking into Nolan's defenses except the creator himself…well besides this other hacker poser guy who had the nerve to call his mentor "the old version of him", but he shut him down real quick in a former cyber battle so Javier wasn't too worried. Once he performed a simple test that he knew no one could pass but Nolan himself, he was elated to find out that it was indeed Nolan Ross reaching out cyber style in some kind of way. How he gained access to a computer? He didn't know, but what he did know was that he was alive and out there somewhere. Before he could get more information on his whereabouts however, he noticed Nolan's interference stop abruptly, meaning that he lost him, but not after receiving an image of the same snake symbol from earlier in the form of a crest.

Javier then dug information on Dylan Becker's whereabouts and was delighted to see that he was in the same resort Amanda and Jack had checked into. After listening in on a private conversation he held with his henchmen and women, he found out that he had access to their temporary secret headquarters that his brother was running in his briefcase, but kept it locked away. Knowing that such a place had to be where they were keeping Nolan, Javier informed Amanda but also told her about the heavily guarded security cameras and structures that encompassed Dylan's room. Although he could no doubt disable the complex and tedious system, it would take some time so she would have to have a legitimate reason for gaining access into Dylan's room manually until then.

Though it took some reconfiguring, Amanda then came up with the perfect plan to gain access into Dylan's room and retrieve the needed information they needed to get to Nolan. After informing the men of her plan, much to Jack's dismay, not that she could tell since he wasn't so happy with her anyways in the first place, she ended the call with Javier and rushed off into the closet; retrieving her suitcase, fishing out a long curly and wavy brunette colored wig, a metallic silver colored micro-mini tube dress, and a pair of strappy black stilettos, pairing each article together until it created the very image of seduction.

Something that Jack was _very_ much aware of.

Hell, he didn't know that she even _HAD_ such an outfit in their closet…

He couldn't help but picture what she'd look like in each article of clothing and accessory she pieced together…It was almost enough to fan down the flames of burning anger he had towards her and fire up a _different_ kind of flame…almost-that is until he had the mental image of another man, that wasn't him, was quite the womanizer, and was a total scum bag, eying his wife and sharing similar thoughts that were arising in _his_ own mind…

The flames of anger grew hot within him once more…

"Exactly how _far_ do you plan to _take_ this _perfect plan_ of yours?" Jack asked, though more like _demanded_ with folded arms, still keeping his fierce glare towards her.

"Once everything plays out just right, it won't have to go far at all. This is just simple bait…while _this_ is the hook, line, and sinker." Amanda replied, completely in focus mode as she showed him a little bottle she pulled out of her suitcase.

She almost smirked mischievously as her husband's eyes widened at the substance she held in her hand.

"Is that what I think it is? G-"

"-Gamma hydroxybutyrate a.k.a. the GHB drug? Yes it is." She replied, not missing a beat.

"And…where exactly or more so _how_ exactly did you manage to get your hands on liquid ecstasy?" Jack raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"I have my sources." She replied cryptically, letting a smirk tease at the corner of her lips at his expression of disbelief and slight amusement. "Judging by what Javier told us about this guy, I have no doubt that Dylan has used this little substance a myriad of times on many innocent women…It's only fair that I make sure he gets a little dose of his own medicine… _literally_."

Jack made a deduction. "And I'm guessing by the effects it's supposed to have as a disabler, you plan to use it to your advantage to-"

"-incapacitate him briefly, long enough to where I can get the info on Nolan's whereabouts and disappear without a trace. It's not enough to cause lethal damage if that's what you're worried about…but it will be enough to complete the objective at hand and be nearly impossible to detect in his system before he can get it checked out. But in order for that to happen, I've got to get on his good side. At least enough to where he'll invite me up for a nightcap and I can slip it in then."

"Good plan…" He admitted honestly, albeit reluctantly. "My only question is, where do I play in all thi-? "

"-You don't." She cut him off sharply, not meaning to sound so harsh, but was determined to once again, keep him safe and out of harm's way. "You stay here. You stay out of sight and you wait until all this is ov-

"-No." He interrupted sharply and glared at her once more.

"Jack-"She warned, matching his glare.

"-No! Don't _Jack_ me! I know what you're doing and it's not going to work Amanda! I told you, I'm not letting you do this alone!"

She rounded on him, her burning emotions taking full control as she got up in his face. "Jack Porter I am warning you for the last time, you better stay out of my way and stay the hell out of this or I swear to god you will leave me no choice and I will make SURE that you do."

"Oh is that a threa-?" He scoffed, his icy blue flaming glare burning into her boiling brown orbs.

"-It's a promise!" She finished, her facial expression leaving no room for opposition as it was set and dead serious.

He was ready to explode then; his face already red with fury, but before he could let a slew of wrathful words out at her, he paused as his eyes caught the glimmering gold wedding bands on their fingers that were currently in the form of clenched fists once more…

There had to be a reason his wife was so set on keeping him out of the loop.

And since she was too stubborn to talk, and time was of the essence, then it looked like actions would have to be taken on his part…

However, her words stung as he thought of them.

" _ **It's a promise!"**_

He looked down at his ring once more. _"Yeah well…unfortunately for you_ _ **dear**_ _, I'm focused on a more important promise…One that includes being there for better or worse until death does us part…even though right now it seems like WE might be the ones to do each other in…"_

He had an idea.

"Fine." He relented bitterly, making his wife's defenses and strong glare at him drop slightly, replacing it with disbelief that he was finally standing down like she desired. Once she saw that he remained silent with an expression of hurt and bitterness in his face as he turned away from her, she immediately regretted her actions and tried to reach out softly.

"Jack…I…"

"-Don't." He raised up his hand and cut her off sharply, not in the mood to talk anymore.

She tried once more. "Look I know I owe you an explanation…"

"-One that you clearly didn't care to give. And I think you made it pretty damn clear that you don't want me to have any part of this so just-just go do whatever the hell you gotta do to save Nolan and get it over with."

"But Jack, please listen I-!"

"-You better get going. It's getting later. That bastard's probably hitting the floors as we speak." He remarked dryly and walked away leaving his wife alone in the other room.

Amanda let out a shaky sigh as she felt a lone tear fall from her eye. She knew she messed up…Big time. She wanted nothing more than to run to him and plead for forgiveness along with the chance for him to let her explain herself, but he was right. Time was of the essence and if her plan was going to work, she had to get going now.

She silently grabbed her outfit and accessories and headed for the bathroom.

* * *

As Amanda got ready, she tried with all her might to steel herself for the role she'd soon have to play, but found it very difficult to control her emotions. Usually, when the situation would be so dire and collateral damage was created, she'd convince herself that running towards her guilt and feeding off of it was the only option she had and would then find a way to shut off the weakening state of her conscious once she took in the bigger picture itself; but for some reason, maintaining control was harder than ever and as a result, it made her lag as she got dressed. But her troubled emotional state was not the only difficulty she had, as she suddenly found herself putting a large amount of effort into slipping the dress over her normally petite sized form, but was now struggling as she fumbled with adjusting the top part of the dress over her chest.

Of course the dress was made to be form fitting. Its purpose was to adorn and caress her body tightly as if it were a second skin that blended well into her curves.

But for some reason, it was a literal pain trying to put it on…

She studied herself in the mirror and frowned immediately at the slight and very subtle tiny bulge of her stomach, cursing herself for going overboard in her recent eating patterns, not liking the consequences. She then frowned in confusion once more at the striking pain she felt in her breast area. For some reason, the _girls_ seemed to be awfully sensitive to the touch lately. She thought she could use her recent growing cup size to her advantage, but as she tried once more to fasten the dress over her chest, the pangs that made her hiss in sharp breaths immediately let her know that they weren't having it.

She cursed under her breath as she discarded the dress and searched through her suitcase once more, hoping for an acceptable alternative option. Once she found one that was not what she really desired, but was enough to do the trick, she slipped it on, adjusted the wig, grabbed her purse and headed out the suite; but not before giving one last look of longing to her husband who was currently in another room with his back turned towards her.

She sighed in sadness, but also in relief, knowing that the risks of him being in danger were lowered, but at a cost that she knew she had to make right and vowed to do so as soon as the night was over.

However, once he heard his wife leave out the door, Jack immediately reached for his phone and called Javier, leaving no room for greetings as he asked promptly, "Is there any way you can conjure me up a fake I.D. and legitimate credentials?"

" _You mean_ _ **CAN**_ _I do it? Or how_ _ **FAST**_ _can I get it done? Because if it's the former, I have to say man, that I'm a little insulted of how underestimated that soun-"_

"Look, can you do it or not?!" Jack pressed impatiently.

" _When do you need it?"_

"In less than an hour would be preferable." Jack replied, hearing the sounds of quick typing over the phone.

" _I'll have you all set and active in the next 15."_ Javier replied with pride.

With that set in the process, Jack then reached into his suitcase, fishing out his own disguise he had prepared (just in case) and headed for the bathroom. He wasn't too keen on the idea of a total new makeover, but wanted to change his appearance just enough to where he wouldn't be compared to the photos and issued tabloids he'd occasionally be seen in with his wife in their various public events and past highlighted news story editions.

He decided that a decent shave seemed like a good place to start, as he examined his full-circle goatee that he let grow fully for a good amount of time. He always meant to trim it down, but never got around to it nor made it a big deal since his wife never complained seeing how she always told him that she liked his scruff. But if he was going to blend into the scenery, he needed to look a bit more _presentable_. He managed to clear the beard down to a light and neat stubble, and then started to comb through his thick dark hair. Although he kept it short, it was just lengthy enough to play around and slick it back to his liking.

As he finished getting dressed, he didn't know what made him choke more: the pricey cologne that he _REALLY_ did not want to wear, as he believed it was for men who were trying _WAY_ too hard to get women and somehow succeeded, but _HAD_ to wear since the whole point was to deviate from his preferred sense of style and also because it was a very unwanted/unexpected Christmas gift from Nolan and Louise he didn't want to go to waste, or the slim-fit button down royal blue colored long-sleeve shirt that felt and looked like his broad chest was about to burst out of it completely and felt slightly constricting, but was something Nolan _INSISTED_ he had to have when he dragged him along on one of his live runway show shopping trips against his will…He only bought it cause his wife said that it brought out the blue in his eyes nicely.

Scoffing at his appearance in the mirror, mainly in disbelief that he was going through with this, he finished off his look with a pair of black, thick-framed glasses: the same ones he wore the night he was going to do something incredibly stupid the night he planned to shoot Conrad Grayson. He then gathered the necessary information Javier sent to him, donned his black blazer, and left out the suite.

* * *

The nightlife in Las Vegas was indeed a bustling and flashy environment…and loud. At least those were the descriptions that ran through Jack Porter's mind as he nearly stumbled over the numerous amount of people that littered the club floors in the dark with the only light being the vivid ever-blinking rave lights that scattered all around the room. He once ran a bar that occasionally overflowed with the hype of the Hamptons, so he was no stranger to people acting wild and crazy, but that did not damper the fact that by the looks of it, he knew he'd be needing an aspirin later.

Though blending in certainly didn't seem like an issue, he knew it was as his eyes caught sight of the different bouncers and particular crowd of gathered men wearing crests that were of a familiar and specific design, scoping out the territory like a pair of hungry wolves, daring for something to be out of the norm…

He eventually found himself at the employee's back entrance of the bar and leaned casually against the side wall only to hear the sounds of yelling and pleading.

" _ **YOU'RE GARBAGE JEREMY! NOTHING BUT GARBAGE! WHO PUTS A LIME AS A GARNISH ON A DAIQUIRI WHEN THE CUSTOMER SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR A CHERRY?!"**_

" _ **I-I'm s-s-sorry sir, but in my defense, the customer even said she-she changed her mind and w-wanted the lime-"**_

" _ **YOU GIVIN' ME LIP YOU SON OF A BITCH?! I OUGHTA-YOU KNOW WHAT-FORGET IT. YOU'RE DONE HERE! FIRED! PACK UP YOUR SHI-"**_

" _ **-WHAT?! You can't do that! I-I've been working here for years! I'm one of the best bartenders you've got on your crew! Plus I have a family to feed! I-I just became a new father! You can't just abruptly-"**_

" _ **I JUST DID. NOW TAKE YOUR SOB STORY AND GET OUT BEFORE I GIVE YA SOMETHIN' TO REALLY CRY ABOUT!"**_

Jack then watched the doors fly open as the sorrowful man stormed out the door, keeping his face hidden.

" _What an asshole!"_ Jack glared at the tall, chisel muscled man whom he guessed to be one of the micro-managers behind the door.

This guy had to go.

He continued to listen in as he heard the disgruntled yet bored sounding tone of a woman's voice.

" _ **Was that really necessary Driker? Now we're like short staffed and it's supposed to be packed tonight!"**_

" _ **Keep your skirt on Pegs! You know what they say, if you want a job done right, you gotta do it yourself. Everyone knows I'm the best damn bartender in this joint anyways! If I gotta make all the drinks and outshine all you incompetent morons then so be it! Which reminds me, did the V.I.P.s make it in the door yet?"**_

" _ **Yeah, yeah. The big D-dog and his lackey of muscles and whores made it in just a few minutes ago and is expecting his regular fix."**_

" _ **Excellent! Well I best not keep the boss waiting! Especially since I'm gonna' blow him away with my mystery mixer special tonight!"**_

" _ **Right…cause nothin' says party time than playin' 'guess the poison' in a cup covered in question marks…"**_

" _ **That promotion is the best we've ever come up with! People don't know what they're drinkin' much less what it'll do to them! Which makes it all the more entertaining! Now get outa here and get back to work! I'VE got a masterpiece to present, while YOU'VE got another load of bottles to stock and inventory!"**_

" _ **Whatever ya say boss…"**_

Jack then peeked around the corner to see the tall, scantily uniformed woman struggle with lifting the heavy box of alcohol bottles and curse under her breath as she walked out of the supply room towards the back shelves. He then had an idea as he slipped inside the room and stayed hidden behind a large crate of supplies. Since the bar was clearly understaffed with very few workers working the front end of the counter, he watched as the micro-manager yelled orders back and forth at his workers, specifically for one of them to finish making his mystery beverage by adding ingredients from the back. Jack then watched as the disgruntled woman from earlier set the mystery drink down carelessly and left it there on a measly tray in the back kitchen to text on her phone in another room. Making sure no one was looking and that he was alone in the back kitchen, Jack then swiftly grabbed the drink and tampered with its contents by adding other ingredients and poured them inside the mystery cup so that it blended perfectly, and then hastily snuck out back into the club before the woman, whose name was Peggy, came back.

Once Peggy delivered the drink and Driker snatched it from her to present it with pride to one of Beckers' men who insisted he'd test it out first since his boss was too busy being occupied with some new woman who caught his attention, Jack almost felt himself smile deviously as he watched Becker's henchman drink from the cup, only to immediately gag and spew out the beverage, cursing up a storm, and utterly confusing the once arrogant micro-manager. Once the head honcho of the club was called on the scene and was informed about the disastrous beverage, needless to say, Driker was immediately terminated.

" _Ain't karma a bitch?"_ Jack muttered with a scoff. Once he saw the workers bickering with how they were short and desperate for a new bartender, he knew that was his cue.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to intrude…My name is Nixon Walters and I just saw what happened, and couldn't help but overhear the commotion. I understand you need a bartender on the spot. I'm new here, but I'd be happy to offer my services if you want to give me a shot?" Jack finished his offer with a dashing smile.

Judging by the way the women bartenders were stunned in their places, Peggy especially, as they ogled his appearance, blatantly aware of the fact that he was easy on the eyes, and taking in the convenience that he had experience in the bartending business and that they were desperate for new hires, it was safe to say that he was hired on the spot.

And just like that, Jack Porter was in.

* * *

While he blended into his undercover position, Jack suddenly noticed a flock of men and women surround a conceited and flashy dressed man that he immediately presumed was the infamous Dylan Becker heading towards the bar. But what _really_ caught his eye and made him stop in his tracks was the female who was on the narcissistic man's arm. It was a beautiful woman with long brunette loose curls that flowed down her exposed creamy back. She wore a deep plunging neck styled long sleeve-high-low dress that did nothing to conceal her milky cleavage nor her long, well-toned legs. Her dress was a striking scarlet with black sequin designs that glittered on her slight curvaceous form. Her eyes were a stunning chestnut that sparkled with interest and attraction towards the man, but had a dangerous glint that seemed to hold a concealed contempt towards him as well.

Jack knew immediately that it was Amanda.

And as angry as he was at her, he could not deny the fact that she was drop-dead gorgeous…

Granted, the first dress she planned to wear had its full effect of eliciting lustful responses, but there was something about _this_ dress that was just plain _sinful_ as it left a little more to the imagination and had a sense of style that matched her graceful yet devious personality perfectly and left him utterly breathless.

And as her once innocent and endearing smile that formed across her glistening ruby colored lips dropped completely with inquisition and her eyes squinted slightly only to widen at the sight of the glasses-wearing bartender as they locked eyes, Jack knew that she recognized him on the spot. He then watched her chest silently rise and fall as her face steeled and her expression hardened subtly towards him. He could tell she was pissed.

Well so much for undercover…

 **To be continued.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi all! Before we begin, I'd like to greatly thank all of the readers and guest readers from my last collab, completed story "The Wedding Gift". Truth be told, as I re-read what we've written, I got teary eyed myself and was like…"WTFudge did we write and why?!" But special thanks to ButterflySparkle. She did an amazing job and it was fun. Now thanks to all the people who took the time to identify themselves instead of just popping up as guest reviews! I enjoyed reading every single reaction from you all so thank you so much daiz, ptminor, LG, and others who have read it! (You know who you are!) It really makes my day any time we can keep Revenge and Jemily alive! ('Cause I'm not in a #showhole when it comes to Revenge I'm in a #showbottomlesspit. Heck, I'm still not over it being over…)**

 **Now about this story update…Guys! My apologies! I know I promised this chapter to be out last week, but in my defense…LOOK HOW LONG THIS THING IS! That's what I get for saying it's a two-part! I could've broken it up but heck, I was enjoying myself. One moment I'm struggling with what to write at a 100 word count and the next, I go over 10,000 and am like "WTFUDGE DID I JUST DO?!" So I expect some long reviews for this! (Just kidding say what ya want ;) Anyways thanks always for reading guys! Things are about to get real! And like I said heated! Umm…on that note, in advance I just want to ask you all to humbly excuse me, for I have rewatched the finale…again…on a certain part and got maybe a little frustrated at the length of a certain scene and I kind of vented that said frustration in this chapter...I didn't go overboard, but…I vented. Just letting you know in advance. But hey, I hope you all enjoy it! Special thanks goes to my partner InfinityXInfinity777 for doing Charlotte's part so beautifully, and to both susanemily and revenge . addicted for making awesome Revenge tribute videos on Youtube and keeping it alive for us fans and inspiring me for new content in these little stories! So here we go!**

* * *

The breeze was warm but strong as Charlotte walked through the community park, looking for the boardwalk sign labelled _Chestnut Trail_ , and the bench to the left of it, where she was supposed to be meeting the man the doctor had wronged. She was early, her nervousness having gotten the best of her and caving time for doubt to riddle her mind. Sitting down tentatively on the wooden bench, Charlotte lifted her phone nervously from her pocket checking the time.

10 more minutes until he arrived.

She still wondered what exactly she was going to say, she had questions for him, but no actual plan. She was sort of hoping something would just click as he told his story and that she'd know what action to take to bring the doctor's wrongdoings to light. Of course, she knew it was naive to think it would be as easy as that, but she would rather hold onto a vague idea of what was to happen then nothing.

She wished she had her sister's confidence and her finesse. She was almost certain that if Amanda was here then she would undoubtedly be able to play the part as lawyer much better than herself, who had actually gone to law school.

Charlotte grumbled in frustration at the thought; smoothing out her navy blue blouse that matched with her pantsuit, glad she had at least chosen to dress the part of an attorney. It gave her mind the affirmation she needed, that she was in fact a lawyer; albeit a very recent graduate law student, but a lawyer nonetheless. And more importantly, she was Amanda Clarke's little sister. That biological fact; David Clarke's daughter, Amanda Clarke's half-sister, was where she drew her inner strength, for they were the strongest people she knew.

Taking a deep breath, feeling a wave of determination wash over her as she exhaled, Charlotte looked to her left and saw a resentful looking man with a prosthetic leg, walking slowly towards her direction. It certainly would have been easier if they had exchanged names or appearances for identification over the phone, but even without such tips, she was certain this was the man she was looking for. Not only did his prosthetic leg give her a good reason to believe so, but also the bitter aura that clung heavily to his body. It was a shame, for at a closer proximity, he was truly quite handsome, with dark brown hair, striking green eyes, and a strong chiseled jaw. He was much younger than she had expected as well, looking not more than five or so years older than herself.

Standing up from the bench as he approached, Charlotte caught the hesitation and confusion in his eyes, as he looked her up and down, unsure as to whether she was the woman over the phone, especially since she also recognized the sense of familiarity he gave her as he squinted: as if he knew her form somewhere. And why wouldn't he? She was once the tabloid princess: the notorious Grayson "good girl gone bad" occasionally, only to later become the youngest daughter of the devil, and then finally, the youngest daughter of the esteemed and wrongly accused, but finally exonerated, David Clarke. So yeah, she was used to having all eyes on her. It annoyed her to bits having a title labeled on her along with a sentence after being unfairly judged without anyone having the chance to get to know who she truly was as a person: how she made herself to be on her own, but it was a part of her life.

To dispel any uncertainty, Charlotte extended her hand, sending him a firm lipped smile as she introduced herself, "I'm Charlotte Clarke, the woman planning to further investigate and expose Dr. Galtz, nice to meet you".

The man nodded his head sharply at her words, rejecting her outreached hand as he slowly sat down on the bench grumbling, "I was expecting, somebody more _qualified_ to take down such a prominent doctor."

"I can assure you I'm nothing but!" Charlotte replied with a sharp edge to her voice, not appreciating his quick disregard, "I may be young, but that's my advantage. I'm not afraid to take risks, to play dirty if I need to, I have no reputation to soil. What we're doing, this isn't just a summer project. I have good reason to believe Dr. J. Galtz held pertinent information towards the fertility of my client. Information that my client has to struggle with each day, that's unforgivable."

"So you want him to pay?" The man questioned, clenching his fists eagerly at the thought of revenge.

"…More so that I want the truth to come out, as much as you probably do". Charlotte replied honestly.

The man shook his head; his angry green eyes shifting towards his prosthetic leg and then back up towards her eyes. "I want it more." He assured her. "This man is the reason I have no right leg".

"I'm sorry…" Charlotte replied, sincerely meaning it despite his rough around the edges attitude. She was certain he had reason for it though. "If we're going to work together, I'm going to need to know what happened."

The man nodded his head slowly, accepting her request. He had his doubts, especially given this woman's reputation that he heard so much about in the past. Plus, he'd grown extremely cynical after the accident, but he had also grown desperate, and Charlotte was the only one who had ever approached him; the only one willing to do something so crazy as to try take down such a prominent physician. He would never admit it, but in a way, he already admired her for that probably reckless drive.

"First, you tell me your story." the man asserted, "I don't believe for a second that a young _lawyer_ like you would pursue a case as tricky as this for simply any client...unless you have a death wish."

"The client is my older sister. I'm sure you've heard of her: Amanda Clarke." Charlotte responded, "She's had a difficult life and all she's ever wanted was a family. She has that now, a beautiful, loving supportive family. But...I know she still feels that emptiness in the cavity of her stomach, where Dr. J. Galtz, rendered her infertile. I have strong reason to believe that he was paid off handsomely to print that information in her medical records...and I just want justice, I want my sister to have the truth, she deserves it. Both her and her husband…"

"You must care a lot about her…" The man replied, feeling guilty for having pushed away his own family after the incident. "Why is she not here with you?"

"She doesn't know. And I don't want her to know until I have conclusive truth of what I believe. It would crush her if it was anything but...Anyways, after the painful life she lived years ago in clearing our father David Clarke's name, she's trying to steer clear from days of...revenge."

Charlotte watched as the man smirked at her last word, no doubt drawn to the power he felt behind it. "Well _I'm_ quite _ready_ for _reven-_ "

" _-Justice."_ Charlotte quickly corrected, wishing she hadn't said that word before. Revenge alluded to pain. Pain that she'd experienced all too harshly in Amanda's vendetta.

"Same thing." The man responded dismissively, finally introducing himself as, "James Davis" before telling his story.

It had started with a car crash in which with bruises and a few broken bones, his biggest injury had been his broken leg, something fairly minor which could have been healed through a procedure called reduction and a plaster splint. Dr. Galtz however had misdiagnosed him, claiming that the alignment of the fracture within the bones of his leg would not allow for proper healing, and cause him too much pain, without chance of recovery. Trusting the expertise of the doctor, James had allowed his right leg to be amputated, only to find out that months later he had been misdiagnosed.

Before he could bring the issue to light, Dr. Galtz had quickly cornered him and offered to pay him off periodically to keep him quiet. He had accepted the money, knowing that he would need it for his prosthetic leg, recuperation, and adjustment to his life as an amputee; especially because with the loss of his leg he was no longer able to work in his field as a professional cyclist: something he's always wanted to do since his childhood.

"He ruined my life." James muttered. "After the incident I lost everything: my career, my outlook on life, even my fiancé. She got fed up with my depressive state, said she couldn't do it anymore. I don't even blame her. I'd turned extremely pessimistic, and given up on much of life…I just...I was filled with so much anger and hate...I still am. I want him to pay!"

"…He will. And more importantly justice will be served on both our parts." Charlotte assured him with a firm nod of her head, feeling as though she understood him much better now. This needed to work. They both needed this, him and Amanda. And she needed this too. She needed to undo her mother's sick setup and prove to herself that she was in fact a Clarke, and therefore, somebody able to demand justice.

James nodded his head, not knowing what to expect, or how they were going to accomplish it, but feeling the tiniest bit of hope that they just might be able to, and that was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Extending his hand this time to her, James looked back at Charlotte with equal resolve in his eyes. Accepting it, Charlotte smiled deviously as she leant towards him and whispered, "I have a plan".

* * *

 **Later that night in Las Vegas…**

Dylan Becker smiled egotistically as he unceremoniously plopped on the barstool, spun around, and pounded his fist on top of the bar counter, as if he owned the place. Though that was most likely the case, Jack Porter couldn't help but frown scornfully as he tried with all his might to push down the instant vexation that he felt just by being in this guy's presence. Egotistic individuals with their noses high in the air as they belittled those they felt were unworthy were NEVER Jack's favorite kind of people. Even though he married a billionaire, he preferred to keep his lifestyle low-key along with his dignity of being a hard worker.

Granted after listening in on the history and information Javier told him and his wife about this guy, Jack knew he would have to stomach whatever bull Becker put out if he wanted to be undercover and help his wife (whether she wanted his help or not), but it hadn't even been 5 full minutes and just by him barking out orders to the already worn out working bartenders as if he were a king and observing his obnoxious behavior along with the fact that he kept putting garbage into his wine glasses, demanding for new ones, and reaching his fingers into their fruit garnish trays made for the drinks specifically, he'd already worked Jack's last nerve. And it didn't help that he saw Becker's arm roughly caressing _HIS_ wife's shoulders, his grimy bling covered hand maneuvering all across _HIS_ wife's naked back, occasionally diving lower to dip inside the back of her dress in an attempt to grope her, only for her to shift in her seat as to fend him off, but smiling at him in approval as if she encouraged his actions.

But as soon as Dylan looked away or was distracted by the many men and women behind him, Jack could see the irritation in his wife's glacial glare, only for it to all but disappear as soon as Dylan turned his attention back to her.

It was evident that Dylan Becker was anything but discreet. And truth be told, Jack was seconds away from taking the margarita glass he was currently wiping out and smashing it against that pervert's well-gel styled head…

But that wouldn't help them get any closer to the info they needed to save Nolan…

Not to mention, that was probably what his wife was counting on: his loss of emotional control. Maybe that was why she didn't want him getting involved. Because unlike her graceful power of dominance, tolerance, and flawless acting skills, she must have thought that he couldn't control himself or that he'd explode under pressure and blow their cover completely, thus ruining any chances of saving Nolan…

But there was no way in hell he was going to let that happen.

Nolan was practically the only brother Jack had left, and he wanted to rescue him just as much as Amanda did. So if that had to include suffering through this bastard's atrocious behavior then so be it. He could look at the bigger picture of things. He'd show his wife that he was more than capable of holding his own and protecting her. He was determined to be the advantage and valuable asset to her plan and prove to her that two heads were better than one.

So for now, Jack decided to suck it up and direct his attention elsewhere. After all, this wasn't the first time he had to pretend to make nice with the enemy as to bring down his downfall. He once supported and helped Conrad Grayson in his political campaign, so it's not like he didn't know how to have self-control and keep his cool.

But let this son of a bitch try to touch his wife's body in an _undesirable_ spot again and see what'll happen…

Jack quickly shook his head as to clear the sudden gruesome and violent thoughts that piled up in his mind and looked behind Becker to see a bunch of his scantily dressed henchwomen muttering amongst themselves while sneering and glaring at the woman who sat next to Dylan, that just so happened to be Amanda. He walked over to the end of the bar counter as if putting away a couple of wine glasses in the cabinet below and heard bits and pieces of their conversation.

" _ **I don't trust her…"**_

" _ **Like who does she think she is?!"**_

" _ **You notice something…off about her? And her behavior?"**_

" _ **And she's married too? What the hell kind of game does this whore think she's playing on our man?"**_

" _ **And Dylie's like all over her!"**_

" _ **She's got to go. You got her tagged right?"**_

" _ **Not yet, just need a minute alone with her and I can do it then."**_

Jack's eyebrows furrowed. Apparently some people in Becker's little clique were not too fond of the beauty who caught Dylan's eye; which meant that they could possibly be on to her…Well that wasn't good. He then heard Becker's loud voice taunting as he leaned over the counter.

" _Hey Peggers the Begger! Babe! Lookin' good tonight! How's it hangin'?"_

"Do I even need to mention how I said over a million times never to call me that?" Peggy deadpanned.

"Ooh! Aren't we a little testy tonight! 'Specially cause' last I checked, you loved it when I whispered it in your ear and had you moanin' and beggin' for more all that night." He winked.

"-A time I never like to remember, but that you never cease to bring up every time I see your ugly mug…" She said through clenched teeth and tried not to be effected by the girls that were laughing at her in the background.

"Now, now, no need to get jealous…Well then again, I'm lying. I can't blame ya. Did you see my newest addition? This dame's a definite gem. Emmy? No wait, Ellie was it?" Dylan turned to the beautiful brunette for confirmation.

"Eva. Eva Carson…" Amanda corrected with a pleasant smile, not letting her annoyance show.

"Yeah that. Sorry, I'm really no good with names. I'm too used to hearing my own from every girl I've ever been with. Sad that none of them made much of an effort to make me want to remember theirs though..." Dylan scoffed.

"Well, we'll just have to fix that…Because I can guarantee you that I won't be an easy person to forget once I'm done with you…" Amanda purred seductively as she leaned her head against Dylan's shoulder and stared hauntingly into his hazel colored eyes.

Dylan smirked and pointed to her. "See what I tell ya? A total gem."

"I feel sorry for her…" Peggy scoffed at her.

"Oh that's not the kicker. Get this, she's married!" Becker proclaimed with pride as he took hold of Amanda's hand and showed off her gold wedding band. By the look of nonchalance on her face, she seemed to display no shame in the fact. Though Jack wanted to feel flattered, he couldn't tell if her known marital status was a good thing or bad thing in this situation.

" _This must be part of her plan somehow…"_ Jack thought to himself. He then guessed what his wife's aim was in her particular front. By the looks of it, seeing as how Amanda was in a hurry to put her plan into action, she must've forgotten to take off the little jewelry that signified that she was spoken for. But knowing what an expert his wife was in managing and manipulating complex situations until it worked out in her favor, she must have spun that mishap to her advantage by posing to be the notorious wedded seductress who was not fazed by her supposed acts of infidelity. Which by the looks of it, must have been a real turn on for Dylan…

"Yeah, it turns out she's a desperate housewife lookin' for a good time. She says she only kept this cracker jack of a ring because it matched her outfit." Dylan continued to explain.

" _Yep, called it."_ Jack thought as his suspicions were confirmed.

"Her poor douche of a spouse must be really sorry in the sack if that's the case. Psh, if he's even got any game at all to even compete with the expectations of such a lovely lady as yourself…" Becker smirked as he attempted to bring Amanda's hand up to his lips.

The abrupt sound of glass breaking startled him from his actions.

"Sorry, my fault! Slippery fingers here, I'll clean it up." Jack gave a tight yet sheepish smile as he bent down to survey the damage of the shattered wine glass he dropped.

"Oh no, no, no, Nixie! Don't even worry 'bout it! I'll help you out. Are you alright though? You didn't hurt yourself did you?" Peggy asked with nurturing concern as she took Jack's hands in hers and examined them, lingering a bit before she let them go.

This did not escape Amanda's attention...

"Oh no, it's okay. You've already worked hard enough tonight. I can clear up this mess myself. Thanks for the offer though." Jack replied politely, removing his hands from her grip.

"That's really kind of you to notice…" Peggy smiled dreamingly as she absentmindedly picked up the glass with her bare hands only to wince as she cut herself.

"Hey, careful! I was going to grab a broom for that, there was no need for you to pick it up with your bare hands and injure yourself." Jack said with concern once he saw a stream of blood run from her hand.

"Too late…" She grinned sheepishly.

"You okay? It looks kind of bad. Where do you keep the first aid kit?"

"Back kitchen-top shelf. Well, doing inventory is going to hurt like hell now…" She muttered under her breath.

"Don't even worry about it. You go clean yourself up, I'll take care of everything else." Jack found a piece of cloth and wrapped it around her hand tightly to stop the bleeding, not noticing her blush.

"You can't be this good of a guy…Th-thank you…" She smiled softly while Jack just nodded cordially and went to the back kitchen. While he was in the away, Peggy turned to Becker haughtily. "See that dickyhead? _THAT'S_ what a real man is like! _HE'S_ a _REAL_ hunk of a gem right there!"

"Psh. More like a major pushover if ya ask me. Wouldn't you agree Toots?" Dylan mocked and turned to Amanda.

She replied with a mere hum in response. Her expression remained unreadable as if she could care less as she continued to lean against Dylan's shoulder and absentmindedly stroke her hand against his chest, but inside, she was _fuming_.

Amanda didn't know what pissed her off more: the fact that Jack deliberately went against her wishes and put himself out there, which in turn put him at all types of risks and added more work for her to watch him to make sure he wouldn't be in any danger, or maybe it was the way she was feeling as she was supposed to be a trained professional and expert at separating herself from her emotions to complete tasks, but felt herself slipping as her target's disgusting hands continued to try to explore her body, making her want to gag, while this _tramp_ was obviously checking out _HER_ husband with rather hungry eyes while making her advances covert; acting all concerned for his wellbeing when in reality, she probably undressed him with her eyes while he helped wrap up her hand. Not that she could blame her since she was already tempted to do the same thing…Which was another thing that pissed Amanda off...

Though he failed to disguise himself to where he'd be unrecognizable in her eyes, that didn't change the fact that her husband looked so…so…handsome didn't even _begin_ to describe the word. He was nothing less than sharp, dressed to kill in his dapper black slacks and blazer that did nothing to hide his firm, chiseled chest and biceps underneath that tasteful, yet flimsy royal blue colored shirt that made his cerulean eyes pop and sparkle as if they were fireworks themselves, and his neatly gelled back-yet thick dark hair that made her fingers itch to run through each strand to return it back into the style she knew was him and loved, and she couldn't lie and say that she wasn't thankful he kept a little bit of scruff left. Forget eye-candy, he was a total visual buffet. It made her heart beat faster as a heat spread throughout her body from head to toe in excitement and longing…Which also pissed her off even more since it was clearly not the time for such endeavors. So how _DARE_ he distract her by looking so… _hot?!_ Was he trying to _spite_ her?! And on top of everything else, why the _hell_ was she craving a cup of crushed ice, a bag of potato chips (preferably covered in chocolate), and a nice crunchy pickle so badly of all times right now?!"

Her troubled state would not do at all. She needed to regroup.

"Would you excuse me for a sec? I'll be right back." Amanda excused herself politely and stood up, ready to leave from her spot before she felt a hand grab her wrist.

"Where are you going gorgeous? The party's just gettin' started! We're breakin' out the rounds and shots now!" Dylan said with excitement as he raised up a small glass of vodka.

The strong scent made Amanda's stomach churn with an all-too familiar, unwanted feeling.

She needed to get out of there. Now.

"Just need to use the ladies' room. But…" She leant her face down to Becker's ear and whispered hotly, _"try not to miss me too much…I promise I'll be back for you to give you exactly what you deserve…"_ She let her lips brush his ear briefly, leaving her lipstick to lightly stain his earlobe before walking off.

* * *

As she hastily walked towards the restrooms, Amanda felt herself collide with someone. She muttered an apology and was about to walk off before the voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Where are _you_ off to in such a rush?" The voice almost snarled.

Amanda turned to see that it was one of Dylan's henchwomen and she did NOT look happy.

"Just heading for the ladies' room, had a little too much to drink and all." She chuckled sheepishly and turned around once more.

"That's funny, cause as far as I know you haven't had a _real_ drink all night. Surely there must be a reason for that?" The woman crossed her arms, and eyed her as if sizing her up.

 _Great, that's all she needed right now. Some jealous, desperate, Barbie doll yipping and nipping at her heels and acting like a bitch over her boy toy. Amanda could automatically tell how this woman's aim was to intimidate, but after having experiences in dealing with royally deranged headaches like Victoria Grayson and Lydia Davis, this wannabe didn't even blink on her radar and was barely even considered a nuisance. Though Amanda contemplated on whether to play the cunning, innocent, and sophisticated role of Emily Thorne that she knew by heart, she was too tired, irritated, sexually frustrated, hungry, and suddenly needed to pee very badly. So, she decided on a bitchy role._

Amanda turned around to face her coolly and shrugged. "What can I say, I was distracted by something more _real_ …Or I guess I should say _someone_."

The woman scoffed. "Alright how much?"

"Excuse me?" Amanda raised an eyebrow.

"Name your price. What's it gonna' take to keep your filthy, whorish hands away from my man?"

Amanda started to chuckle until it turned into a full blown laugh.

"Did I say somethin' funny?!" The woman glared.

"Yes, you did actually. For a second there it sounded as if you were trying to buy me off. Which I'm certain that can't be the case since I already have possibly everything I could ever want and then some…especially with your _Dylie_ as you ladies call him…" Amanda smiled challengingly.

"You _DARE_ use his scared nickname that _I_ came up with for him?!"

"And I'll use a lot more than that...and _do_ a lot more." Amanda smirked.

She pointed a perfectly manicured finger at Amanda's chest. "Here's the deal sister. You'll keep away from _MY_ man if you know what's good for ya. You may have all the others fooled, but I can see right through your pretty little slut disguise. You don't belong here. Not with him and not with our group. I don't know what your motive is, but I can tell you right now that you'll damn sure never get away with it."

Amanda just smiled. "Well it's a good thing I never really take threats seriously in life. But I can understand why you're on edge. And to be honest, I think it's adorable the way you're acting like Dylan's little watchdog and who can blame you, the man is definitely… _something_ …Which is why I've got my sights set on him, and why there's not a damn thing you can do to stop me." She slowly got up in the woman's face, whispering dangerously. "Here's a little tip you should know about me _Sweetie_ ; whenever I see something that I want, I get it and I don't let go until I'm finished. And if something or someone tries to get in my way, I just do whatever it takes to get it _out_ of my way. But don't worry, I can assure you that your beloved Dylan couldn't be in more capable hands than mine…And I'll make damn sure that he, you, and your whole group knows it. Now if you'll excuse me, I really do need to use the little girls' room." Amanda flipped her hair and promptly strutted away before the woman could lay hands on her, barely feeling the sensation of her fingers brushing against the sheer train of her dress.

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

Jack frowned when he noticed his wife leave the bar with a look of discomfort that she failed to hide from her expression. He recognized that look before as it started to become routine in the past weeks or so that she had been sick. With the circumstances being as they were, now was not the time for any queasiness. And if that wasn't bad enough, he watched his wife from a distance as another woman, supposedly from Becker's gang, cornered her and they exchanged some rather heated words, before he saw the woman try to reach for her only for Amanda to slip from her grasp. At least, that's how it appeared, until Jack squinted for a closer look. His eyes then widened.

He needed to get to Amanda. _Now._

"Hey, would you guys mind if I take a quick 15?" Jack asked his fellow bartenders who were hard at work in the front, already making his way to the back kitchen door entrance.

The male bartenders just shrugged and waved him off.

But the women were not so hasty...

"You've certainly done your part tonight, by all means, take 30! The law requires it after all and besides, it would be the perfect time to get to know you better…for the job I mean! We never got to give you a proper interview and after watching you tonight we'd _definitely_ be interested in getting more _acquainted_ with you _…_ " Peggy replied with a subtle sultriness in her tone as she put a _friendly_ hand on his shoulder.

"In fact, it's our lunch time too! We were just going to hang out in the lounge room, you should join us!" Another female bartender smiled at him, putting a hand on his other shoulder.

"Oh I really shouldn't. I mean-I wouldn't want to impose and-"Jack tried to politely decline their offer and escape, but more women crowded him, surrounded him, and blocked off his route of exit.

"-Oh but we insist!" Another woman said.

"Yeah, like totally insist!" Another woman nodded eagerly.

"Yeah it will be fun!" Another woman grinned as she got closer to him.

Jack held back a groan of frustration as the women continued to surround him. He did not have time for this. He needed to think of an excuse to get away before god knows what would happen…

As friendly and welcoming these rather _attractive_ ladies all seemed to appear, there was a certain hungry glint in their eyes that made Jack feel like he was suddenly a succulent surf and turf special laid out for the taking.

It was time to go.

"Listen, you ladies go on ahead. Maybe I'll catch up in a bit, I just need to…to-use the little boys' room! I drank a little too much water before coming here; been holding it for a minute actually! You wouldn't happen to know where the men's restroom is would you?" Jack asked them in a haste and alternatively shifted form one foot to another, as if he needed to go to the bathroom.

"Um…yeah, sure. I-it's back there on the wall around the corner…" Peggy replied slowly, blinking at his behavior as she ran a hand through her long dirty blonde locks.

"Great thanks!" Jack shot her a grateful smile and rushed past all the women, heading towards the bathroom. As he passed by the noisy crowd, he noticed the woman that cornered his wife a few minutes ago rush over to the rest of Becker's girls, smirking as one of them pulled out a phone. He strained to listen to their conversation once more.

" _ **Did you do it?"**_

" _ **Yeah I got that little slut! Did you make the call?"**_

" _ **I'm getting the Chief of Operations on the line right now…DAMN IT! 10 minute wait time?! I hate when they put me on hold! This is like a serious emergency!"**_

Not wanting to create any qualms, Jack continued towards the bathrooms behind the back wall. He paused to scan for the women's restroom that was nearby on the other side, but didn't want to look suspicious so he slipped inside the men's bathroom instead: thankful to find himself alone at the moment. Before he could gather his thoughts however, he yelped as his arm was suddenly grabbed and he was yanked inside one of the closed stalls. Before he could put up his defenses and fight, his back was abruptly pressed against the door with a hand covering his mouth as his eyes came in contact with two very fair yet fierce chocolate colored eyes that burned with fury.

It took about 5 seconds to realize that it was Amanda, 2 to realize that she had somehow snuck into the men's bathroom and was currently pressed up rather firmly against his physique, (in which he found it hard to escape the sudden sensation of their certain body parts brushing against each other) while she none too gently held him against the door, pissed off as he'd ever seen her.

" _What the hell do you think you are doing?!"_ She hissed angrily.

Jack quickly passed off the sudden rush of heat that flooded his body and made his breath get caught in his throat as anger and pulled her hand away from his mouth before he snapped at her in reply, being sure to keep his voice low. _"Me?! I'm not the one who snuck in the men's bathroom! How the hell did you even get in here anyways?!"_

" _Don't you dare change the subject! You were supposed to stay out of this Jack! I thought we both settled on that!"_ She whispered angrily.

" _Yeah 'must really suck to be ditched when you thought you agreed on a plan huh?"_ He sneered at her pointedly.

His wife sighed in pure exasperation, trying to keep calm and rational as she put a hand to her head to stop an oncoming migraine, even though she knew he had every right to throw that comment smack dab into her face.

"I thought I made myself perfectly clear that if you got involved and got in the way by any means that I would make sure that you would stay out of it!" She glared at him threateningly with the aim of intimidation, hoping that he would just agree and go back to where she knew he'd be safe and out of harm's way.

"Oh yeah, I heard you the first time. I just didn't listen, nor did I give a damn. I still don't actually. And it's a good thing that I didn't, because it seems to me that right now you could use all the help that you can get." Jack nodded and replied in a matter-of-factly tone.

Her aggravated expression lifted slightly as she raised an eyebrow and folded her arms, demanding him for an explanation.

"I'm sure you've noticed Becker's girl goons by now-"

"-Please. They're not even enough to be considered a threat. One tried to corner me earlier, but I put her in place fairly quickly. Besides I've handled worse, you know that." Amanda rolled her eyes.

"Oh, so I guess you've already noticed and took care of the tiny tracking device she stuck on you after your little bitch off then?"Jack folded his arms.

Amanda blinked in confusion before quickly looking over herself, examining for anything unusual, before she felt her husband touch the back of her dress and hold up a tiny little blinking chip in front of her face.

"Yeah, 'didn't think so."

She snatched the chip from him, threw it on the floor, and crushed it with her heel until it was in pieces, cursing under her breath. "She must've had the time to stick it on me when she tried to grab me and I walked away…" She muttered then face palmed, cursing herself for her state of negligence at the matter. "Now there's no telling what they know..."

"Fortunately for you, they don't have much of anything. I overheard that woman with the rest of Becker's gang call up some head person of their group, most likely to see what they can get on you, but they were put on hold. Since you just destroyed the chip I think it's safe to say you're in the clear for now." Jack explained.

Amanda let out a breath in relief and nodded. "Good. That'll give you just enough time to get out of here while you still ca-"

"-Damn it Amanda! I told you for the umpteenth time I'm not going anywhere!" Jack snapped at her.

"You have to Jack! I told you it's too dangerous! And you had no right to barge into my plan and put yourself out there on the radar like you did! You could attract unwanted attention! It's better to just let me handle this!" She snapped back.

Jack kept his arms folded and gave a pointed yet deadpan expression. "You mean like how you've been handling it all so smoothly so far? What with your consistent expression that looked like you were ready to kill someone or blow chunks at any given moment? Please. I saw how you were _handling_ it and the way you just upped and left the bar. You were losing it. And what's worse, Becker and everyone noticed you leave before that woman even cornered you. So _I'm_ not the one who attracted the unwanted attention here."

She looked away with a sour expression, hating the fact that he made valid points while pointing out the holes she unknowingly made in her plan.

"Besides, I recognized that look on your face the moment I saw it…You were feeling sick again weren't you?" His eyes softened with concern, though his voice remained firm and serious.

"I'm fine." Amanda grumbled.

"Amanda." Jack started, instantly reprimanding her.

"-I didn't throw up. I just-I just needed to get away for a moment! The feeling went away as soon as I left the bar, got a snack, and went to the restroom, so I'm fine!" She insisted stubbornly.

"Wait-so it was the stench of alcohol then that made you sick? Like the other night?" Jack questioned.

"…I guess, I don't know. I mean a lot of things made me want to choke with this damn flu! Sensitivity to certain smells and foods aren't uncommon after all, even if I am feeling better than I did before. I just have to be careful."

"And how exactly do you plan to do that?" He asked in a demanding tone, raising an eyebrow.

"Well-"She tried only to be cut off.

"-Seeing as how you've already made yourself a spectacle just by leaving Becker's side out of the blue with no evidence to back up that you're currently still in the _lady's_ bathroom like you told him, and can barely keep your composure with the mere stench of alcohol alone?"

"…I don't-"She stammered quietly once more, but Jack didn't stop his accusatory rant attack.

"-Not to mention, that the whole point of your _perfect_ plan in the first place was to _woo_ him into whisking you away into his room for a nightcap which involves actual _drinking_ , so if you can't even handle the scent, how the hell do you plan to go through with-"

"-I DON'T KNOW!" She threw her hands up in frustration and surrender before she lowered her voice. "I-I don't know! This-everything was going fine until these damn symptoms started up again, I wish I had the answers for everything but I don't! Okay?! I don't! It's falling apart, time's running out, I've got to get this information to find Nolan, and as much as I know this plan is full proof, I….I can't carry it all the way through because I don't know what the _hell_ is _wrong_ with me lately, or how I'm going to get the GHB into this bastard's system before it's too late…" She relented, completely astringent as she looked down and sighed.

Jack backed down and softened his expression once he caught the brokenness in her tone, silently admonishing himself for going too far, before a determined and protective look set on his face. "Then let me."

'Wait-huh?" She looked up at him in confusion.

"Yeah, let me do it then. I'll drug the son of a bitch." He reaffirmed, not caring if his tone came out a little more eager than he intended.

"Wha-?!No! No way Jack. It's too risky!" She shook her head vigorously.

"We're already at risk. And what's worse, Nolan's more at risk, especially if we keep wasting time like this! You already admitted that you can't do it, and I'm more than capable of doing it. Heck it's more beneficial if _I_ do it since the only impression Becker has of me is that I'm some kind of pushover and not someone that would contaminate his drink. So why not use the element of surprise to our advantage? Besides, I blended in the scene didn't I? I think my undercover worked out nicely-"

"-Oh, I think I'm well aware of how _nicely_ you blended in the _scenery_!" She snapped at him bitterly, not meaning to sound so on edge, but couldn't help it once she thought about Peggy and all the women who made starry eyes at _HER_ husband. Not that it was his fault, which made her feel remorseful once she caught his surprised expression from her sudden outburst.

Before he could glare and call her out on it however, she quickly changed the subject, starting with a complement as to fan down the flames of negative tension she just sparked between them. "What I meant to say is-your disguise worked…for them anyways…But my question is, how you even managed to hide in plain sight?"

Jack noticed the subject change, but let it go and shrugged. "I uh-I landed a common bartender position by getting the hot-head manager of the bar, who was also already a complete douche bag, fired by sabotaging his custom made drink that he made for Becker's men."

She blinked and tilted her head to the side in suspicion and amusement that her husband could even be capable of such a takedown. Had he been around her too much in the past? "How…did you do that?" She asked slowly with genuine curiosity.

"I just replaced his special drink with a little bartender no-no mix we like to call, _'The Horse Jizz'_. And yes, the title is as disgusting as it sounds since it consists of mainly beer and milk…An ultimate alcohol _don't_." He stated the last part dramatically, making her lips turn upwards slightly at the corners in a reluctant smile after she scrunched her nose at the thought of the ingredients he just told her.

"Brutal…but impressive…I honestly didn't know you had it in you to pull something like that off." She said, though she knew that was only half-true, since she had witnessed what Jack was like when he was hell bent on having an agenda in the past. Truth be told, it was not a pretty sight; she even dared to say it was scary and not a state that she ever liked or wanted to witness him in again. But in this case, seeing as how the intentions were to help and not hurt like she'd done in the past, it was not only warranted and impressed her…it was also kind of a _turn on._

Amanda felt a heat rush through her body once more, burning her to the core. It just didn't make sense to her how one moment she was ready to rip his head off and the next, she's ready to rip his clothes off. It was unnerving. Before she could mentally slap herself out of it however, his voice broke her thoughts.

"You'd be surprised to see how far I go when it comes to my loved ones being in trouble. You should know that. Which is why, it's best for the situation to let _me_ handle things for once. " Jack stated simply.

"How exactly do you plan to execute this?" She asked, back in focus mode.

He looked away for a brief second, gathering his thoughts, making sense of the whole thing before he turned back to her. "Easy, just get Becker to buy you a drink. "

"What?" She raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Get him to buy you a drink at the bar, preferably something called the Mystery Mixer special. It's an overrated promotion they're doing that involves the dealer's choice of beverage in a cup covered in question marks. Don't ask. The point is rather than preparing the drinks in front of the customers, the dealer goes into the back kitchen so that the content remains unknown. Anyways, just ask for that and then I can slip the drug in his drink without anyone being any the wiser." Jack explained.

"…But if he buys me a drink, how am I supposed to drink-"

"-You let me worry about that. Don't worry, I'll handle it. You just keep doing what you do best." Jack reassured.

Amanda looked away once more, contemplating while ignoring the warmth that flushed her cheeks. The tactical, ever suave ninja inside of her fully agreed on his plan and approved his strategy whole-heartedly. She was nothing less than impressed with his cunning details on such a simple scheme and she knew that it could be pulled off. And though the wife side of her wanted nothing more than to pin him against the wall and properly _show_ him how impressed she was with his artfulness, she was also still very concerned and worried of the bright red flags that were at risk of rising and putting him in danger.

But what choice did she have? Time was of the essence.

Amanda then shrugged with a sigh, relenting reluctantly. "I guess we don't have a choice…We better get going." She pulled out the drug capsule from her purse and gave it to him, where he immediately put it in his pocket.

"How do you plan to get out of here without being seen?" Jack asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Ventilation shaft. How else?" His wife replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, pointing to the large concealed vent that was above them and taking off her strappy stilettos as she readied herself to climb on top of the toilet, only for her husband to put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"I don't think that's a good idea with your condition. What if you get sick again?" He asked with concern.

She wanted to roll her eyes at his over protectiveness, but before she could explain how easy it would be, the thought of how high it was along with the twists, turns, dust, and god knows what else was in there, made her stomach threaten to churn. So she just nodded at him.

"Fine. I'll figure out another way. You should get going. " She folded her arms, as she scanned the area and contemplated on another method of escape.

Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head at her stubbornness, but opened the stall's door and was ready to walk out, until he felt a hand grab his own and his wife call for him.

"Jack?"

He turned to face her with a straight look on his face, not wanting to argue or delay and waste any more precious time, but he watched as she bit her lip in frustration, as if trying to find the right words to say before she just sighed and released his hand."…Be careful." She uttered quietly, her eyes soft and pleading.

He blinked in response, his hardened expression waning as he nodded and replied just as softly. "You too."

* * *

Once he left the bathroom and headed back behind the bar counter, Jack kept a constant worried eye on the empty barstool next to Dylan Becker as one of his henchwomen, the same one who cornered Amanda from earlier, sauntered up to him, took the seat, and tried to convince him that his latest, newest interest was trash. But rather than convince him with words and jeers alone, Jack nearly gagged as he watched the two suddenly play tonsil hockey openly. Shaking his head, he went back to serving other customers only to hear a loud feminine yet familiar voice nearly shriek.

" _Oh my god! You can't be serious?! I was like so sure I went to the lady's bathroom!"_

" _No miss, you were in the men's restroom."_

Jack then saw some middle-aged man help his wife who was swaying and limping from left to right, wearing only one shoe and holding the other in her hand, back out to the main club floors.

"Oh my god, I'm like so embarrassed right now! I knew I was all like tipsy and all from earlier, but…this is just…I don't even know what it is…" Amanda said in a slurred tone and face palmed.

"Well, if I were you, I'd probably steer clear of the drinks for the night…and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter for a while since this will probably make the pages, but maybe with your luck someone will put it on Snapchat and it'll go away."

"Aren't you just so helpful…Well, I can find my way from here thanks." Amanda slurred and clumsily pat the man on the shoulder and continued to sway towards the bar as the man just nodded awkwardly and went back to his table.

"Dylie baby! I'm back! So sorry I was gone for so long, I was like…I guess I was just more out of it than I thought…" Amanda feigned a hiccup and giggled while twirling a curly strand of her brunette locks around her finger. "Did you miss me?" She then purred in question as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hell yeah I did!" Dylan smirked.

Amanda then feigned a pout. "But…then why is there someone in my seat? You haven't lost _interest_ have you?" She asked in a husky yet inquisitive whisper as she cupped his chin gently with her fingers until they started to run down his chest slowly, making her statement.

"Nonsense! Darcy here was just keepin' the seat warm for ya! Now that you're back she was just on her way out."

The woman known as Darcy quickly whipped her head to Dylan in protest, ready to whine, only for him to glare and make the sharp nodding head movement that clearly meant for her to "beat it". Darcy then shot Amanda a murderous glare in which she returned with a sweet and charming smile. "Oh Darcy's her name? Well Dar honey, thanks so much for keeping the seat all nice and cozy for me. Dylie and I really appreciate it."

Darcy dared not reply as she got up and stormed out of the bar area. Amanda then took her seat once more, feigning as if she would fall off from feeling woozy, and smiling secretively at her husband as Dylan caught her and wrapped his arm around her.

The plan was back on schedule.

" _Damn, she's good."_ Jack thought as he reluctantly looked away from his wife and started to prepare different garnishes for various drinks, trying with great effort to remove the image of _his_ wife running her hand down another man's chest with eyes burning with nothing but supposed desire, despite the fact that it was the exact opposite and that she was in reality, just like a cat playing with her prey before she would pounce with a vengeance. Even though it was just an act, it still unnerved him to the bone that she was putting on such a _sexy performance_. Mainly because he wanted nothing more than to be the one on the other side of the counter, feeling her neatly manicured nails raking against _his_ chest, while her powerful chestnut gaze would reflect a dire yearning for _him_ , in which _he_ would undoubtedly return…

He needed to stop.

Ignoring the heat he felt rising in his face (and in other places), Jack shook his head and went back to the tasks at hand, until he waited for his cue.

"Dylie baby, I'm thirsty…buy me a little pick me up would you?" Amanda pleaded softly.

"Sure babe! What did ya have in mind? It's all on me!" He breathed against her lips.

Amanda had to swallow quickly, ignoring the chills she felt on her skin at the stench of his breath that made her gag reflexes threaten to make a reaction. "I heard they got this fascinating special called the Mystery Mixer. Let's try that one, it sounds like fun! Who knows what could be inside…"She smirked.

"Sounds exotic! Alright you got it!" Dylan chuckled with a wink.

Amanda shifted her eyes to lock into Jack's secretly while snuggling closer to Dylan and slightly nodding her head.

That was his cue.

 _"Oh I don't know Dylie. I think our newest addition should be careful not to overdo it since she was so wasted to the point of going to the wrong bathroom."_ Another one of Dylan's henchwoman suggested wisely as she strolled up next to him, expertly hiding the sneer that Amanda could tell was aimed at her. "That is if there was anything to be wasted over in the first place seeing as how she doesn't smell an inch like any _real_ drink nor has she ever all throughout the night so far. One could only wonder, just what exact poison it is that she's consuming specifically to leave her in such a clean state?" The woman's eyes glared daringly into Amanda's as she took a sip of her own drink.

" _Shoot, I knew someone was on to her…"_ Jack's eyes quickly shifted to his wife, who surprisingly didn't flinch an inch, but instead smiled as if she received a compliment.

"Well I should certainly hope that I don't smell like any alcohol seeing as how I was trying to avoid such a scent all night by doing the simple little remedies like snacking, drinking other beverages, and chewing gum. What do you think I was doing when I was lost in the bathroom all that time? I was literally gorging my mouth out with Crest and Colgate." Amanda explained, fumbling as she pulled out the gum packs, toothpastes, and toothbrushes from her purse as to prove her point.

Before she and Jack could smirk at the woman's bewildered expression however, both their eyes widened in horror (especially Amanda's) as she was suddenly pulled into Dylan, his lips and tongue quickly searching hers out and tasting her without delay before he pulled away and smirked. "Yep! I can vouch for her! She's totally clean, but we're about to fix that right now don't you worry! Hey! You! Pushover, barkeep person, whip up two of those specials and make it snappy will ya?"

 **" _OH. HELL. NO!"_**

Jack barely heard anything at all, as he was literally a millisecond away from reaching over the bar counter, grabbing the bastard by the throat, and beating the living crap out of the man who just abruptly kissed _his_ wife. Before he could make a move to do so, fists clenched, eager and ready, he caught his wife's glance that pleaded for him not to react as she privily shook her head, even though her eyes were still widened with disbelief from what just happened, and it took a great amount of effort to swallow the bile that threatened to approach her throat. She took out a piece of gum and began chewing it, as to rid of the horrible aftertaste.

While Dylan turned his head, though his arm was still wrapped securely around Amanda, bragging about how good of a kisser he was and how hot she tasted, she gave her husband a firm and determined nod. It took every ounce of effort for Jack to stay put in place as he was breathing deeply, trying to calm his rage. But although he was still seeing red, he caught on to his wife's cue and returned it with a dead set adamant expression as he wasted no time and went straight for the back kitchen to prepare the mystery drinks.

He was _definitely_ going to enjoy this.

* * *

After he added the drug into one of the cups and mixed the drinks and served them to Amanda and Dylan, surprisingly remaining cordial in his demeanor, Jack watched anxiously and excitedly as Becker rapidly chugged down his drink, until he caught his wife's unreadable expression as she eyed her cup; swishing its contents, and shooting him a look that reflected a shred of doubt and fear.

" _Don't worry it's ginger ale."_ Jack mouthed at her, shooting her a comforting wink. Though her expression remained normal and unfazed, he noticed her eyes soften appreciably at him, as if thanking him. He gave her a quick little smile and walked off to continue serving other customers.

What she would give to just reach over the counter that served as a barrier in keeping her from the man who was always looking out for her, who always had her back even when they weren't on good terms, and just kiss him senseless.

But that wasn't part of the plan…

She could only hope that the look of gratefulness and adoration she gave reached him fully as she avidly drank the soda that was gentle on her stomach and provided needed relief for any uneasiness and churning she felt.

"Phew! That was some pretty powerful stuff! I probably shouldn't have done that…Who knows what'll happen to us now." Amanda giggled at Dylan, smacking and puckering her lips as if she tasted something incredibly strong.

"Y-yeah…I guess… Mine didn't have much of a taste or anything. But I guess it's the kind that'll sneak up on ya later." Dylan said slowly, trying to understand why his drink tasted more like a salty water than a strong alcoholic beverage.

"I can't wait to see how much fun you'll _really_ be once it does its job then." Amanda rested her chin in her hand, batting her smoky made up eyes at Dylan ardently. "Until then, how about a dance? I'd love to see how smooth you are on the floor." She got up to take him by the hand and dragged him away. He followed after with a lustful smirk, but did not feel as talkative as he was before. As she continued to pull him along, her hips swaying, Amanda looked over her shoulder and shot her husband a suggestive smile, as if to say, _"mission successful"_.

Jack watched the two walk off feeling the corner of his lips turn up in a devious smirk, before he felt a pat on his back that shook him out of his thoughts. "Oh no, don't tell me you're enamored by Dylan's new trampy paramour." Peggy deadpanned while rolling her eyes playfully.

"What? No! I uh-"Jack started, trying to recover from being broken out of his daze that lasted longer than he initially intended.

"-Good. Had me worried for a minute there Nixie! For a second I could have sworn you looked like you were in love with her or something. Take it from me, you deserve so much better, never lower your standards." Peggy stated wisely with a hint of bitterness.

"You're talking like you know by experience. I'm guessing it has something to do with that self-centered Becker guy?" Jack asked though it was more of a statement. However, he was ready to recoil once he saw a look of discomfort and slight fear reach her eyes. "You don't have to answer that. It's none of my business, I just-"

"-No. No…it's okay. It's just one of those scars that only hurt when ya touch it ya know?" She smiled uncomfortably.

" _What did that bastard do to her?"_ Jack wondered before he replied softly. "I understand. Forget I mentioned it." He then looked down at his watch. "Well, looks like it's just about quitting time. Thanks for giving me the opportunity tonight to work here." He extended his hand out to shake hers.

"No, thank you! You practically saved all our asses tonight! I hope you're not going so soon though. We really do need to go over the legal stuff for your employment, and…to be honest, I don't think I'm ready to let ya go for the night yet…" She smiled suggestively, making him blink uncomfortably as he tried to retract his hand.

"Um, well Peggy I-"

"-Oh no way! You've got to be kidding me…Please, please tell me that this is just a very simplistic styled club ring that you put on the wrong finger and that you're NOT already taken." She almost begged as she examined the bright gold ring that she failed to notice before on his left hand.

"Mm, sorry, no can do there. In fact, I was just about to say, I gotta get back to my wife. She's unfortunately not feeling well and I gotta be there to check on her and all that good stuff." He smiled apologetically.

"Figures that the one good, genuine guy that pops out of the blue in front of me has already been snagged. Well, what can I say, she caught a good one whoever she is. Let's just hope she holds on tight to ya, and doesn't end up like that… _thing_ over there." She pointed her finger towards Amanda who was simply observing Becker with slight feigned concern as he failed to dance properly with her and was now starting to sway back and forth.

Not wanting to comment any further on that, Jack just raised his eyebrows in response and gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Well, good luck with everything." He waved her goodbye, and left the bar, passing by his wife, and giving her an inquisitive look as if trying to ask if there was anything more he could do on his part.

She immediately deciphered his message and once she shook her head at him and nodded up at the ceiling, he took that as his exit cue and left to head back up to their master suite.

* * *

Not even 20 minutes later, Dylan Becker continued to sway back and forth, attempting to walk towards a nearby bar stool to steady himself as he cursed under his breath at the heavy dizziness and severe nausea he was feeling all of a sudden. He then started to throw up openly, disgusting the bystander audience who all watched him from a distance. Before his henchwomen and men could rush to his rescue, Amanda was immediately at his side, her expression showing nothing but horror and concern.

"Oh my god, Dylie! You poor thing! Are you alright?" Amanda asked softly as she held him up.

"I-I'm fine Toots, just a little tips-FU-!" He threw his head down as he threw up once more.

"Boss are you alright?! Should we take you to the hospital?!" One of his men asked him.

"Hell no! Quit overeactin' will ya? This is just the mixer thingy drink sneakin' up on me, workin' its magic and all that kind of SHI-!" He was interrupted as he threw his head down once more.

"Oh Dylie, baby maybe we should call it a night. I feel just awful! I had no idea that this would happen to you! It's all my fault…" Amanda hid her face in her hands, shaking her head.

"Damn straight it's your fault! What did you do to my Dylie slut?!" Darcy cried out, wanting to reach over for Dylan but hesitating once she saw the pool of bile he was creating on the floor.

"I-I didn't know-I mean…I thought it would be fun to try the mixer special they had going on, but if I knew it would be this dangerous I-I would have never…" Amanda trailed off, her ruby colored lips trembling as if ready to cry.

"No babe, don't worry about it! Darcy! You bitch! Get lost! See, ya made her cry and crap!" Dylan glared at Darcy, as he tried to put a comforting yet shaky hand on Amanda's shoulder. "You know what? Let's blow this joint. Bet we'll have more fun upstairs anyways…" Becker smirked as he held out his arm.

Amanda's expression matched his as she linked arms with him. "You read my mind…"

* * *

Needless to say, as soon as they made it to his suite, Becker was already passed out. And after Amanda managed to drag him into his master bed, cringing as she stripped him completely, she quickly got to work after she received a coast clear signal from Javier that he already disabled the cameras prior to their arrival.

Ever the mistress of stealth, she furtively scoped out the room, keeping a diligent eye for any common object or space that could serve as a concealment for important information regarding Nolan's whereabouts. Being careful not to trash the place, she looked under every nook and cranny, cursing under her breath in frustration at the lack of results she wanted. She tried feeling on the walls for any abnormalities or secret passageways, and tried looking through his closet, drawers, and every other common place she could think of, but to no avail.

Suddenly, a "ping" sound came from Dylan's computer, catching her attention as she walked over to find that it was an instant message from his brother Devin Becker, demanding that he contact him at once saying that he had news regarding their organization and how they had a new advantage in catching the hacker responsible for their setback. Amanda's eyes then widened when she realized that he had to be talking about Nolan. Though she was tempted to respond to the email, posing as Dylan, she knew that they would be on to her, since she figured by the tone of the e-mail that Devin had low expectations of Dylan to actually be responsible enough to respond to him in a timely manner. She furrowed her eyebrows, hating that she had to miss the needed opportunity until she looked down at Dylan's messy, clutter covered desk and noticed a bunch of documents regarding the new organization's headquarters and its new temporary location and various images. She immediately recognized the warehouse's brick wall. It was the same wall that Nolan sent in his most recent picture text message.

Bingo.

Not wanting to move the papers which would automatically signify that someone had obviously been there snooping around, she pulled out her phone and snapped quick photos of the documents, immediately sending them out to Javier. Making sure that his room was left unchanged, she then snuck out of his room letting Javier know to enable the cameras once more along with using Nolan's manipulated and fixed version of Javier's Myclone app to create the illusion that she had stayed with Dylan all throughout the night and got _lucky_ with him, capturing such evidence as a video feed as to fend off any suspicions in case his gang suspected foul play.

* * *

Once she got back to her master suite, she informed Jack and Javier of what she found and waited for Javier to finish examining the documents she sent him. He assured the couple that he would get results, but that it would take some time so they were stuck in a waiting period until then.

Once she hung up, Amanda instantly felt the awkward tension once more between her and her husband as he abruptly got up and walked to the other side of the room, removing his blazer and glasses while keeping silent. She removed her brunette wig, letting her golden waves spill out and ran her hand through them ineptly as she fumbled for the right words to say as to break the ice.

"Well…on the bright side, we're further then we were before. Now that…we actually have a location we should be able to rescue Nolan in no time!" She tried to start out in an up-beat tone.

"Yeah. That's good news. The plan worked." Jack said simply, not giving her any eye-contact.

"It did…" She nodded then stated honestly, "But…it wasn't just my plan. I couldn't have done this tonight without you Jack…"

"-Yeah you could've Amanda. Because if I didn't intervene you were going to go through with it either way, with or without me, mainly the latter, so you can drop the whole 'good teamwork' act. Especially since you didn't even want me involved in the first place." He stated plainly in a bitter and slightly wounded tone. "But it doesn't matter seeing as how I proved myself and my point tonight that I'm more than capable of handling things whether you see it or not."

"…You didn't need to prove anything to me Jack…" She stated softly in a quiet and sincere tone of voice full of remorse.

He scoffed lightly with an eye roll. "Hmph, right. Okay. Well, what's done is done so I'm going to call it a night." He got up and started to head towards the bedroom.

"… _ **I didn't want anything to happen to you!"**_

Jack stopped in his tracks at his wife's sudden confession as she continued in a desperate tone.

"…I-I didn't want anything to happen to you…" She reiterated quietly and continued. "After we heard what happened to Nolan and…after _everything_ that we've been through in the past, I-I-I didn't know what we were up against with this new threat. Hell, I still don't…But I knew that they were unorthodox, organized, and spontaneous which made them dangerous. I went through rigorous training in the past to be prepared for the worst since I was willing to go through anything to avenge my father, but I underestimated the costs and many variables which led to inevitable losses in the end that still remains with me to this very day and it will never go away…I just didn't want you to be one of them…These past seven years with you have been one of the best times of my life since I was finally able to find peace and have security….and be happy. You have no idea how much that means to me…How much _you_ mean to me Jack…And just the thought of having it all ripped away from me because of a situation that I couldn't control like in the past…I-I couldn't handle it. I needed you to be safe. I just wanted to keep you safe. Because I wouldn't know what I'd do otherwise..."

She looked down, shaking her head, trying to hide the tears that were cascading down her cheeks.

"Remember when I told you a while back that…I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you? I meant it. I couldn't. Because…you _are_ my life and… _I need you_. I know what I did was wrong and selfish and that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself, but…I didn't want to risk it and the truth is… _I was scared…_ " She whispered while sniffing lightly.

She heard footsteps coming towards her direction, but did not look up even though she suddenly felt his hand on her shoulder.

"And…the reason why you didn't just come and _tell_ me how you felt and save all the trouble and unnecessary drama was _because_ …?"

"-Because I knew you wouldn't listen and would still just insist on helping me anyways." She stated firmly looking up at him.

"Yeah, you're right. I would've." Jack confirmed with a shrug. "Just like you would have done the same thing if it were me."

She couldn't deny that he was right.

"Look, I get why you felt that way…I had my share of losses too so I understand where you're coming from. But it's not your job to protect me-"

"-Nor do I want it to feel like it's solely your job just because you're my hus-"

"-It's _both_ our jobs. _Both_ our responsibilities. We're supposed to protect _each other_ and look out for one another. Especially since we're both capable of doing it. Truth be told, I didn't just intervene tonight to stick it to you and prove a point…The same way you were feeling about me being in danger, I felt about you. "

"But Jack I-"

"-don't need me to protect you or worry about you? That you can handle yourself? That you're more worried about me instead? Well tough. Because even though I know all of that, I do despite those facts. And you feel the same way vice versa. You can't deny it."

She looked away once more.

"So you were afraid of losing me, I was afraid of losing you. You're hell bent on protecting me, I'm hell bent on protecting you. We want the same thing, and there's not a damn chance in hell any of us are planning or willing to let up or give in to the other, so instead of butting heads and wasting essential time, why not just work together like we're supposed to as a _team_? There's strength in numbers after all. The more we start acting like a unit, the more likely we'll be able to handle whatever comes our way and rescue Nolan." Jack explained firmly.

"It's easier said than done Jack…There's a real serious risk that…we're heading into a danger that can be _fatal_ if we're not careful." She stated softly with a darkness in her tone.

"Then we'll have each other's backs till the end like we've always done." He tightened his grip on both her shoulders.

She wanted to embrace the comfort and validity of his words, but her eyes still reflected the doubt she held onto.

Her husband saw this.

"Hey…Look at me." He softened his voice, keeping the stern bite out of his tone. She complied slowly, catching his gaze in hers. "We're going to be okay. We're going to make it through this." Jack stated, his confident and determination in his eyes expelling the uneasiness she had in hers.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked numbly, reflecting on the past and how things didn't always turn out how she'd hoped.

"Because we're going to fight like hell to make damn sure that nothing _does_ happen to either one of us, or Nolan, rather than carrying the burden alone, trying to be the hero."

Amanda thought about all of his words and finally accepted them, nodding slowly in agreement. With the feeling of dread gone, she was now very remorseful as she realized that all of her insensitive yet well-intended actions from earlier that caused a fair amount of damage between them was truly pointless since he clearly would have still been there for her anyways. She would have done the same after all.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered sincerely, her deep brown eyes hazed with regret as a tear rolled down her cheek.

He nodded slightly with a sigh. "…I know."

"I wanted to believe in everything you're saying…Deep down I know I did, but…from everything that's happened to us before…I-I just didn't want to take that chance…But I was wrong in doing that…" Amanda confessed.

"I'd be a hypocrite if I said I blamed you for feeling and doing what you did. But no matter what, we've got to trust each other _completely_ Amanda, especially in situations like this."

Amanda nodded resolutely. "I know…and I do…with all my heart."

"Good...So do I." Jack nodded.

"So…does this mean you forgive me?" She asked earnestly, though she kept her tone simple and full of hope.

"Are you ever going to run off and ditch me again?" He deadpanned jokingly, but held some seriousness in his voice.

"I won't. I promise." She reassured firmly.

"Then yes, I forgive you…Besides it wouldn't be much of a marriage if I didn't." He smirked as they both chuckled lightly.

Happy that they mended fences and were back on a peaceful page, they smiled softly at each other, trying to enjoy the ambiance, but knowing that there was something else going on that was holding them back, resulting in an awkward yet thick tension that couldn't be cut with the sharpest knife. Before they could get stuck in a trance however, they both looked away and cleared their throats as if to break the ice once more, debating if they should just end it there and leave…or stay to see where the moment takes them…

Something had to be done soon.

Jack finally decided to move first, giving her one last smile and nodding slightly before turning around to walk away. He had to. Something was stirring inside of him and if he didn't get out of there, there was no telling what would happen.

However, Amanda was not so quick to let him leave. "I have to say, your idea really worked out. The way you hid undercover and managed the situation…It had great results. I found it very-"

"-Clever and useful enough to get the job done?" He finished with a joking smile as he turned to face her.

Amanda curled the corner of her lip upwards. "Actually…I was going to say that I found it very… _hot_."

Jack's eyes widened slightly as he blinked at the unexpected response his wife gave him, feeling his face suddenly get very warm. "Oh! Well heh-I uh-I guess I could say the same about you. I mean you didn't look so bad yourself out there…especially dressed like _that_." His eyes were roaming her slowly, taking in every detail of her shimmering, sheer scarlet dress that wrapped and hugged her curves, the creamy skin of her long legs along with the teasing, fair amount of cleavage barely hiding the perky mounds of her chest behind the smooth fabric, up unto her glistening red lips that matched her wardrobe nicely and set off the sparkling mocha of her eyes.

"Well despite the subtlety, I'd say _you_ made more of a statement…Especially with your _co-workers_." She commented with a smirk, though her tone held a slight bite of bitterness.

"Why _Amanda_ if I didn't know any better, I'd say you sounded a little _jealous_ for a second there." He teased, shooting her a rather suggestive smirk as he folded his arms and turned his head slightly to the side.

It took a moment to break out of her sudden _distracted_ state of mind as she checked him out from head to toe, mesmerized particularly by the mischievousness that reflected in his eyes which gleamed pools of blue and matched the color of his now untucked, tight-fitted shirt that clung onto his broad physique, outlining the muscles and pecks that rippled through and were held back by mere buttons alone. Before she could go any further downwards, she snapped out of it remembering his comment and huffed in a scoffing manner while rolling her eyes. "Oh please. Like you were a perfect angel tonight with _Dylie_."

"Hey, that guy was an ass." Jack deadpanned with a straight-face. Amanda nodded in agreement, matching his expression, cringing as she reflected on what she had to endure.

Her husband then scoffed. "If there was anything to be rattled about, it was the fact that _I_ couldn't be the one to be with-"

She whipped her head to face him as soon as he paused his sentence, eagerly wanting him to finish. "-To what Jack?"

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "-It's nothing. It's over now. That's all that matters."

The intensity of an unspoken feeling was building between them once more…

"Well…it's really late. We should probably hit the hay…No telling what'll happen in the morning." Jack suggested, but did not move an inch from his spot. Instead, he took a step towards his wife.

Amanda nodded, also remaining in place until she took a step forward as well. "Yeah you're right…We need to be rested up in case Javier has anything new for us."

"Right. No telling what'll happen next…" His voice strained with desire as he drew closer to her.

"Mhmm." She merely hummed in response as she met him half-way.

Jack barely had the time to reach his hand towards her to caress her cheek softly before she breathed out shakily, her resolve breaking completely until she abruptly grabbed him, pinned him to a nearby wall, and crashed her lips against his urgently. The initial shock of her actions lasted only seconds before he returned her kiss fervently with his hands eagerly clutching her soft golden strands, relishing in its softness before they began roaming in other places. His fingers then began to gently dig into the soft flesh of her back as he opened his mouth slightly after briefly feeling her tongue against his lips, pleading for access as her hands ran through the smooth texture of his thick, dark hair.

As the kiss deepened and accelerated, lasting longer as they broke away for mere seconds to catch their breath which aerated hotly against each other's mouths before delving back in, her soft moans and his deep sighs spurred their passion further as they blended beautifully, communicating the longing they felt for each other that couldn't be expressed with words alone. Amanda then gasped into his mouth as she felt her back hit the wall instead, realizing that Jack had flipped them over without breaking the kiss. Before she could retaliate however, she felt his calloused hands smooth down her naked back, grasping and groping her waist until it reached its destination even lower and cupped her firmly, eliciting a quick vocal reaction. Amanda's short breaths hitched even more as Jack peppered her lips, face, and various places with brief yet heartfelt kisses, making her body feel like it was on fire as her skin now aspired to feel his own against hers.

As Jack's hands continued to fondle her, his kisses moving lower from her jawline to her neck to the summit of her cleavage, Amanda's control slipped entirely as she broke away to unbutton his shirt, only to become frustrated as she fumbled with the buttons, eventually just ripping the pesky shirt open altogether. It was Jack's turn to gasp until she covered her mouth with his, silencing his taken aback response. She sighed his name softly into his mouth as her hands explored his build, luxuriating at the feel of his firmness and the warmth of his skin, feeling bold as she pressed herself even closer to him, her hips bucking and grinding into his own which then resulted in a sharp intake of breath on his part as he picked up her silent yet emergent hint and immediately lifted her up in his arms to carry her towards the bedroom, struggling as he basked in the sensation of her lips on his collarbone that were occasionally nibbling and lightly suckling away and groaning her name with both pain and pleasure as her nails raked and lightly scarred his back.

Nevertheless, their venture to the bedroom went fairly smoothly as Jack alternated between struggling with the zipper of his wife's dress and avoiding tripping over various furniture. As their passionate activities continued, lasting long and far into the night, Amanda once again was very glad that she paid top dollar for a sound proof room…

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

"Well _Miss Wayburn_ , you certainly are a little out of your element. I must say, you must be a rather bold soul as to show your face in our territory. As you well know…to put it bluntly, we never liked you, or your significant other's organization." Devin Becker stated pointedly as he nearly sneered at the woman from his clear, polished wooden desk.

"I am aware of this…" The woman replied somberly, but kept her face straight and her head high.

So then _Lynn,_ I'm guessing despite that fact, what you have to say is important so I'll be formal and give you the floor before I have my men shoot your head off? Sounds good? Good. So, just to reiterate, you're saying…you know the one responsible who hacked into our resources?" Devin asked.

"That's right."

"And…you're sure of this because this person in question is also supposedly the one who killed your daughter and baby's daddy?"

"There is no supposedly. I know for a surety of who did it!"

"Well, forgive me for being skeptical, but you sound as if you're trying to fulfill your own personal vendetta…which is admirable since I know what a go getter you tend to be. You were the same way when _we_ were together…But speaking from logics and facts, the case was done years ago. And I'm pretty sure that it was said that a-what was her name-? Victoria Grayson, I think, was the one responsible for your daughter's death. Though I wouldn't be surprised if your sweetheart's _guinea pig_ was the one to do him in at the end. Irony is quite funny and works in mysterious ways after all." Becker chuckled, making the woman glare at him in hatred.

"I don't give a damn about what the case stated or what the world knows! I know-knew my daughter! And I damn sure trust my intuition as a mother! She loved to toy with her targets before taking any action. The one who killed her is connected with that bitch and David Clarke and especially his daughter, and most importantly is also the one who serves as a current threat to your little snake charmer business! The only way you're going to get results, is if you listen to me and track that person down!" She insisted stubbornly.

"Still got that fire I see…No wonder Mal was jealous and snagged you from me…You know you're lucky you're still cute and admittedly, I still got that soft spot for ya. Alright then Lynn. Humor me. Just who should we be looking out for?"

"His name is _Jack Porter_."

 **To be continued.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: WHOO! Sorry it took so long ya'll! Hope you're ready for this one! It's another long one. Couldn't resist. On a side note: karevsprincess has a serious masterpiece on her hands with "The Revengers" like seriously, someone needs to inform Mike Kelley of her work and see what he can do lol, but while the story is on an unfortunate spring break…The next chapter of this story will have to suffice. But anyways guys here ya go! Please read and review to let us know how you like it!**

* * *

Nolan Ross ignored the stinging sensation of his facial cuts and still bleeding scars as beads of sweat ran down his face, and instead, continued to type away at rapid speeds on the small computer he was forced to work with while still being literally chained to a desk. His piercing blue eyes, though heavy and weary, refused to close for even a second; not that his current predicament gave him the option of sleep anyways in his case, but there were a variety of thoughts, questions, and speculations that were racing through his mind which in turn disquieted him immensely. For instance, besides the fact that he was leaving these monsters hanging at the edge of a string, deceiving them into believing that their perpetrator was within reach but not yet attainable, which was enough to keep him alive at the moment and enough to make them assume that he was on their side, he couldn't keep up the charade for much longer. Especially because one of Devin's goons, particularly his right hand woman who although was rather easy on the eyes, held a suspicion in her gaze whenever they watched him work from time to time. She was an expert at keeping her doubts hidden behind her fierce yet nonchalant expression he'd give her that, but Nolan recognized that subtle look of indecisiveness behind her glare and knew what it meant all too well.

She was on to him.

Which meant that it was only a matter of time before Becker and his gang would catch wind as well. And if that wasn't bad enough, Becker continued to threaten Nolan in a discreet form by furtively leaving hints of torturous consequences such as showing off his contained collection of Black Mamba snakes and fawning over them in front of him as if they were prized possessions and demonstrating how they attack rapidly when threatened by rapidly attacking and torturing one of his own captives that crossed him in the past by delivering a brutal session of beatings until he finally ended his misery by impaling his machete through the man. Becker mentioned how normally he'd just dismember his victims, or let his pets do the work, but he felt lazy at the moment and decided to just get it over with. And just last night, despite the walls being sturdy in rusted concrete, Nolan could still hear the faint piercing screams of pain and horror from what he guessed was a woman being tortured if not killed until they suddenly silenced completely altogether with the only sound left being Becker's sick taunting and laughter. The fact that Devin chose for the death sentence to take place nearby Nolan's location automatically sent him the message of Becker's threat to him; of the demise he would soon suffer if Devin showed even a hint of displeasure or doubt of his capabilities and motives. But that was besides the fact. What really rattled Nolan was the conversation he overheard after the woman was murdered.

* * *

 **Flashback to the night before...**

" _ **Oh Lynnie-Lynn…how I wish things could have been different between us. If only you'd stayed with me in the first place. But justice had to be served tonight...well, MY justice anyways."**_

 _Nolan then heard Becker's somber voice pick up with cheerfulness as he continued to speak._

" _ **Oh well, as they say, there are plenty of fish in the sea right? However, to honor your memory, the least I can do is follow this petty lead of yours...Now then…ROXANNE!"**_

 _He then heard the quick sound of heels clacking against the floors and a lighter yet serious toned voice answer Becker's call._

" _ **Yes Mr. Becker?"**_

" _ **Be a doll and add this body to the rest of the heap to burn later would you? And afterwards, see what you can find on a…I don't know…some guy named Jack Porter or something like that."**_

 _Nolan's eyes widened in pure mortification at the mention of that all too familiar name, praying that Becker was talking about someone else and started evening out the odds of how many Jack Porters there were in the world that_ _ **wasn't**_ _his best friend in particular._

" _ **Does he serve any significance to our cause or is it another punk who crossed you that you want me to take care of?"**_

 _Nolan almost wanted to cringe at how robotic yet eager this woman's voice sounded. It seemed like being around dead bodies and a murderer didn't faze her in the slightest and instead, took his request as if she was being told to simply fetch milk at the store to go along with some fresh baked cookies._

 _Becker replied in a nonchalant, careless tone._

" _ **Mm, not sure really. I just know that my former ex-gf here has some kind of enmity against him, says that he's the one who hacked us and killed her daughter, Kate Black and what not."**_

 _Nolan felt his heart collapse inside his stomach._

" _ **What about the lead Mr. Ross was supposed to be giving us? Is that the person in question he's tracking down?"**_

 _Nolan could tell by the doubt and coldness in this woman's reply that it was indeed Becker's right hand gal._

" _ **Guess we'll have to wait and see the results. Not that it matters either way since he knows too much. But I'm a man of my word and will give him till the end of the week as promised. Who knows, maybe he'll surprise us."**_

" _ **I thought you hated surprises sir."**_

" _ **Exactly."**_

 _Nolan gulped at the chilling seriousness of Becker's statement which only confirmed his fear that his fate would be sealed either way regardless of his given timeline._

" _ **The name does sound familiar for some reason…I'll look into it further and let you know what I find."**_

" _ **Roxanne…have I ever told you how you are my rock and the fortress of this organization?"**_

" _ **Just happy to do my part sir."**_

 **End Flashback…**

* * *

There was no doubt in Nolan's mind that things were starting to fall apart. Why was Jack's name mentioned? What did these bastards know or want with him?! How did they even know about Kate's death?! These simple questions were immediately answered the moment he put all the puzzle pieces together. In some sick twisted form of ironic fate, Devin Becker must have known Kate Black's mother; intimately at that, and Kate's mother must have not been sold on the story of how her daughter died in the past; either that, or she just had a personal vendetta towards everyone involved with her other sweetie Malcom Black's victim, David Clarke. As far as he was concerned, Ams and the gang at the time did a rather pristine job of covering that whole situation up. Enough to where her big confession of her identity kept the true perpetrator of Kate's death out of harm's way and squeaky clean. But that must have been what raised the red flag with Lynn and in turn, kept that flag regarding all of them raised with a vengeance for the past few years. On the non-too bright side, Kate's mom was no longer a threat seeing as how Becker brutally murdered her for reasons he didn't know nor had any interest of finding out, but the fact that he was planning to go after Jack was enough to terrify Nolan. Not only that, but while he was busy creating false leads, recently, he discovered Javier's own hacking work trying to reach out to him. How the hell did he even know about everything going on in the first place?

There was only one explanation…

Amanda Porter, originally Amanda Clarke, formerly known as the prominent yet notorious Emily Thorne, was back in business. Which also meant that Louise came through for him just like he'd hoped.

Part of Nolan wanted to feel relief at the realization that his sensei was indeed coming to the rescue. But at the same time, where there was Mrs. Porter, Mr. Porter would undeniably be in tow. And in this case, that was NOT preferable as the sharks would undoubtedly smell the blood in the water, or in this case, the snakes would sense the rodent nearby and immediately attack their target. It was at that moment when Nolan knew that somehow, some way, he had to warn them. He continued to type away desperately, hoping to cross cyber paths with his former protégé again soon before it was too late…

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

Charlotte tried not to smirk as she pulled out her phone from her pocket, dialing her partner in crime's number.

"I'm in." She said confidently, not even bothering with a hello, as she stood up from her seat alone, pacing the modern-styled living room of Dr. J. Galtz. "Our plan worked even better than expected…after I talked to him at the Alzheimer's Awareness event you sent me to, I approached him, feigning interest in all the projects he works with. Anyway long story short, he instantly invited me back to his house for further discussion and…"

" _ **Where is he now?"**_ James interrupted anxiously.

"He got an urgent busy call, said he had to pop out for half an hour or so, but that I was welcome to wait for him and stay for dinner, if I had no plans. Perfect Right?"

" _ **I don't know Charlotte…"**_ James replied honestly. _**"Seems a bit too easy….and who leaves a stranger in their house anyway?"**_

"To him I'm someone harmless, you should be glad I play innocent so well." Charlotte murmured, as she exited the living room, climbing up the stairs in search of his bedroom, figuring it would be a good place to start.

" _ **Alright, just be careful Charlotte, you may have her blood but you're not Amanda Clarke."**_ James reminded her over the ruffling of papers he heard on her side. _**"Anyway, I'm still camped out by the cafe across the street, so I'll be there in five to scope it out with you. Are there cameras out front?"**_

"Yes, but don't worry." Charlotte replied confidently. "I dated a hacker once…and let's just say he taught me a few things."

" _ **I'll leave it to you then."**_ James replied impressed, hanging up after quietly murmuring, _**"Aren't you full of surprises".**_

* * *

 **Meanwhile, in another part of the warehouse, high above the basement floors in an office area…**

The middle-aged woman known as Roxanne Meyers groaned with annoyance as she ran a hand through her short, layered dark brunette locks that seemed to be butchered at neck length. It was bad enough that she felt chained to a desk doing some meager research on some guy she's never heard of before, but she couldn't deny that the name rang a bell in some weird, unassociated way. That didn't mean that she liked such a leisure and restrained state of sticking on the sidelines however. She felt as if she was stuck in high school again, doomed to complete a petty research assignment.

She always hated school.

As if that wasn't enough to get on her nerves, she noticed how her phone continued to go off with the caller ID belonging to a woman by the name of Darcy, also known as the bane of her existence and Dylan Becker's favorite out of the pack of his usual sluts. Seeing as Roxanne was not only Devin Becker's right hand woman, but also the Chief of Operations, she had an unfortunate obligation to answer the phones. Once she finally picked up the phone, being sure to highlight the disdain of her dry tone in her greeting, she growled inwardly and shifted her bright hazel green eyes to a nearby stack of pens, tempted to stab herself to be put out of her misery, or even better, reach over the phone to impale the woman who continually pestered her with the same story of how there was a breach in their organization due to some new slut seducing her boss's brother and making trouble for the posse last night. As Darcy drawled on about the events of that night, she then talked about how Dylan was apparently now very sick and groggy yet insisting that he got laid, but was complaining of how he couldn't remember any of it nor could he find the mysterious beauty who supposedly turned him out that previous night.

Tempted to just hang up the phone in her face, Roxanne shifted her finger to the "end-call" button until Darcy made mention that she had proof of how the mysterious woman was not who she claimed to be. She then explained how even though she failed to keep track of the woman, despite sticking a tracking device on her, she had a backup video tracking device system in Dylan's bedroom that she set up to monitor the whores that he would bring to his bed. Creeped out by how obsessive this chick was, Roxanne reluctantly continued to listen to her, watching over the footage that was sent to her and comparing it to the footage of the actual security cameras.

There was definitely a difference.

While the footage streaming from the security cameras captured the rather loud and explicit, naughty details of Becker and the woman having wild sexual intercourse with her slipping out hours later, the other footage from the device displayed a blurry photoplay of the woman dragging an unconscious Dylan to the bed and stripping his clothes off while keeping hers on and then getting up to scan the room, moving items around, albeit expertly as to not make a mess or cause disturbance and then walked over to his computer for a moment until she took out her phone, snapped a shot of something and snuck out, leaving a passed out Dylan alone and naked on his bed for the rest of the night.

Roxanne's eyes widened as she remembered how her boss tried to contact Dylan the night before but never received an answer. What if this woman was on to them?

Now the red flags were raised.

After she got off the phone with Darcy, she contacted that same hotel which was privately owned by the organization and demanded all other camera footage of the main club areas. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until she looked at the image of the men's bathroom. There was a man, seemingly one of the bartenders, who was suddenly grabbed and pulled inside of a closed stall. Roxanne couldn't see much of what happened from that point, but she heard bits and pieces of harsh whispers about plans and a bunch of back-and-forth banter between whoever the man got pulled in with. Later, however, she saw the man's hand being grabbed by someone before he got the chance to exit the stall. She recognized that person instantly. It was the same woman who was snooping around Dylan's room. The way those two were looking at each other seemed as if they were close; intimate even.

But it was the next part of the footage that was audible enough to hear that caught Roxane's attention.

" _ **Jack?"**_

There was a silence before the voice continued hesitantly.

" _ **Be careful…"**_

She heard the man reply before she watched him leave out the bathroom completely.

" _ **You too…"**_

She then watched the mysterious beautiful woman walk out with a contemplative look on her face before she rushed back into the stall. Roxanne furrowed her eyebrows with amusement as she heard sounds of puking until another man came in and was startled by her appearance in the men's restroom and let her know accordingly as she was at the sink, brushing her teeth. She then watched as the man escorted her out of the bathroom, while she swayed back and forth, shrieking and slurring her words.

Roxanne put a hand to her chin as she contemplated all of the information and events. _"Wow, if it wasn't for this footage, this woman would have actually been believable. She's good. Really good. Which isn't good at all for us. She's on to us. Whoever she is. I just know it. But she said that man's name was Jack? Hm…what are the odds I wonder…"_

She immediately picked up the phone and made inquiries about the new bartender who apparently went under the name of Nixon Walters, but not much was found on him or the mysterious woman she found out was named Eva Carson. She frowned at the fact that those individuals seemed to disappear out of nowhere, but then eventually put two and two together. She then took a chance to demand that one of their inside men get information on who checked into the hotel earlier that evening, threatening him acutely once he tried to protest about breaking privacy policies. Needless to say, Roxanne was not amused once the name she inquired for bred the results she wanted and smirked as she realized that she had found their target.

But there was still a curiosity that irked her at the back of her mind of why that particular man's name was so familiar. So, after sucking up the fact that she had to research once more, she delved deeper and started reading through various articles. Rather than being satisfied at how the dots connected regarding who this Jack Porter was, she started reading up on his current wife, Amanda Clarke.

And she had quite a story…

A story that made her wonder…

And once Roxanne was confirmed that she also was the woman formerly known as Emily Thorne, her eyes widened as she pieced everything together in her mind. She lifted up her sleeve to quickly glance at her arm and smirked once more as she murmured under her breath.

" _Well, well…It's just as I thought. We have definitely been breached."_

* * *

 **Meanwhile back at the hotel in Las Vegas…**

Jack stirred from his rather peaceful slumber once he heard the sound of his cell phone going off. Being careful not to wake his wife who was still sound asleep on top of him, he carefully reached over to grab and answer his phone once he saw that it was Javier calling.

"Hello?"

" _ **Jack!**_ _ **¡Maldita sea! (damn it) What the hell man? I've been trying for like half an hour to get a hold of you! Where's Amanda?"**_

"Still sleeping. Why? Did you find out anything new?" Jack replied, failing to hold back a yawn since he was still waking up.

" _ **Hell yeah I did! I-wait a minute, sleeping? Dude it's like almost noon where you're at!"**_

"We had a long night. What did you find?" Jack replied shortly, not wanting or willing to go through the details of their previous night.

" _ **I was going over all the collected clues and info we got so far and after examining those snapshots Amanda sent and doing a little tinkering around, I think I found it man!"**_

"Wait, you mean you found the spot where they're keeping him?" Jack asked eagerly which made his wife groan lightly as she started to wake up. He shook her bare shoulder slightly to snap her out of her dazed state.

"Babe, wake up! Javier found where they're keeping Nolan."

Amanda immediately shot up off of her husband's bare chest and grabbed the phone without delay.

"What were you able to find Javier? Is it Nolan? Did you find him?!" She pressed urgently.

" _ **I think I found the warehouse where they're holding him captive. I looked over all the info and the snapshot of the documents you sent and it checks out completely. It came up as a possible match with this warehouse I found on the outskirts of town, a few miles longer away from your current location. I'll try to see if I can hack into their main headquarters and get any footage to confirm- "**_

"-No. That's too risky. They might catch on to the intrusion or expect it. We can't let them see us coming or Nolan might end up being in greater danger than he already is. Try to get in touch with Louise, see if she's had any luck with getting a hold of John. We might need all the backup we can get. In the meantime, send us the coordinates and Jack and I will do some simple recon work and scope out the area."

" _ **Sure that's a good idea? What if he has a trap set for the moment you two get there?"**_

"They won't know. As far as they're all concerned, Dylan has yet to be in touch with his brother after being distracted with his fake one-night-stand, which I'm sure they know is nothing out of the ordinary for him. They don't have a clue that we're on to them, which we can use that to our advantage. But we have to get moving now. Also, see if you can try to reach Nolan again like last time; see if he has anything we need to know before we take these bastards by storm."

" _ **I'm on it…Hey you sure you're okay? No offense, but you sound really out of it for some reason."**_

"I'm fine. Long night. Now let's get busy, we'll be in touch." Amanda answered shortly and hung up. She paused as she felt her husband's inquisitive eyes on her.

"What?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

Jack hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm with Javier on this one. Are you sure you're up for this? You do seem more tired than usual…"

"I'm fine, I promise. I'm just still waking up that's all." Amanda reassured with a tired smile and yawn.

Jack nodded with a shrug. "That's understandable; especially seeing as how you had a rather eventful night. I almost feel guilty since you didn't get the chance to get much sleep…'didn't think I'd tire you out that much though." He smirked with an almost evil grin, chuckling as he failed to dodge the pillow his wife abruptly chucked at him.

"Don't get cocky Porter, you had a long night too." She chuckled at him in reply.

"That I did. But seriously…Are you sure that a manual approach is the best option?" He asked seriously.

"Right now it's our only option. We're already pressed for time and I'm not about to let another minute go by with Nolan being trapped in that place. There's no telling what's happening to him, or what they're doing to him…or what _has_ happened…" She looked down somberly.

"Hey," Jack reached for his wife's hand, holding it in both of his as he immediately caught the worry and slight hopelessness in her tone, "we're going to find him Amanda. He's going to be alright. You have to keep believing that."

"…What if he's _not_?" She whispered, her light voice cracking slightly.

Jack hesitated, closing his eyes and biting his lip, weary of the possibilities and dangers that were currently a reality for their best friend. Though he believed in being optimistic, Jack was not a stranger to dealing with tragedy. But accepting such a fate was not an option especially since it wasn't written in stone yet. He sighed and shifted his blue eyes back to his wife's solemn gaze. "We're just going to go out on a limb here and keep telling ourselves that he will be okay; that we will find him…until we know for sure otherwise."

It didn't seem like much of a plan. Hell, it sounded dreadful, especially if that was the case, but it was the only suitable option that kept their hopes and determination alive. So, Amanda nodded back at him firmly, accepting the decision.

She prepared to rise out of the bed before she paused to reach for something on the floor and turned around to frown at her husband.

"What?" Jack asked, blinking at her in confusion.

"You owe me a new dress." She joked in a matter-of-fact tone as she pouted and showed him the scarlet dress she wore the night before that was now slightly torn with a missing zipper.

"Hey, you started it…" He joked back in the same tone as he showed her the completely ripped apart blue dress shirt he wore the previous night, before lifting her chin and grinning mischievously as he whispered in a low tone, _"All I did was_ _ **finish**_ _it."_

Before she could scoff at him, he had already gotten up from the bed and headed towards the bathroom to get dressed, shooting her a wink over his shoulder in which she returned with a look that said _"We'll finish this later."_

As she got up to search through her suitcase for something to wear, keeping the long bed sheet wrapped around herself and smiling as she noticed and clasped on a special piece of jewelry she wanted to wear for the day, she suddenly put a hand to her head and groaned lightly at the abrupt dizziness and exhaustion she felt within her body. It seemed as if the whole room was spinning, and she felt like she needed to lay back down for a moment as a result. But seeing as there was no time, she fought through the intense state of vertigo and slowly dragged herself along to the bathroom. Her husband however, was already dressed and watched her drag along at a rather slow pace.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay?" Jack asked once more with pure suspicion in his tone, as he was utterly convinced that something was not right with his wife.

"I'm fine Jack! I just had a little short spell of vertigo since I got up too fast, it'll pass in a moment. You don't need to worry about me so much." She insisted firmly.

"Well, I'm not the one who's currently clinging onto the wall for dear life with legs shaking as if they're ready to fall over." He shot back, his voice full of concern.

She managed to pull herself from the wall and tried to walk over to reassure her husband who stood a few feet away with his arms folded. But for some reason, the room just kept spinning and she couldn't explain why, nor did she have a reason for why she suddenly felt so hot and clammy as a numbing exhaustion took over her entire body.

"Honey, please...Trust me okay? I promise you…that I am just…fi- "

She never finished the sentence as the last thing she heard was her husband suddenly nearly shouting her name as she felt herself elevated in his strong arms before everything went black…

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

"Took you long enough!" Charlotte hissed as she stealthily let James in through the crack of the large mansion door.

"Hey, _you_ were the one that said you had it all under control. Besides however the hell you disabled the cameras, it came in handy." James said gruffly as he glared down at his leg, loathing the process of how he had to make it up the marble steps from outside since it wasn't the easiest thing in the world with his… _condition_.

Charlotte blinked at his rough tone, tempted to retort until she caught onto the subtle compliment within his sentence. She ignored the sudden heat that rushed to her cheeks and looked down. "I-I'm sorry…I guess I'm just a little…anxious…"

She continued once she saw James raise an eyebrow at her. "And? Your point?"

"…It's just…what we're doing…The steps we took to get this far…I know it's for the right cause, but it just all feels so- "

"-Yeah, you're damn right it's for the right cause! It's justice! Something that we won't get if we don't do nothing about it!" James snapped, cutting her off.

"Look I've been down this road before okay? And I know others who have been too. It's nothing pretty. I just don't want to be responsible if something bad hap- "Charlotte snapped back.

"-Hey, it's my choice. Our choice. If we want to get to the truth and right the wrongs that were done to us, then sometimes you gotta be willing to stoop low and get dirty to dig out the deeper injustices and make things right. You of all people should know that." James shrugged and told her as if it as the most obvious thing in the world.

Charlotte frowned, hating the fact that he started to sound like her once revenge crazed sister and slightly like her deceased mother. "I know that. Trust me, I do. But what if it doesn't make things right after all? Or…what if there is nothing to accomplish…" She finished quietly, remembering the words Stevie said to her recently.

"Look, I didn't come here to waste any time. If you wanna second guess yourself and play ping pong with your morals then fine. That's you. But I came to see justice served, and that's what I'm gonna get, with or without you. Though personally, I was hoping for the former…" James glared, but then softened at the end, making Charlotte look up into his bright forest green eyes.

They stayed frozen like that for a few moments.

Damn he was handsome…

Not that she'd admit that out loud…

But though his eyes gleamed like stunning emeralds, there was something dark in them. Something Charlotte couldn't explain nor describe with mere words such as grief, pain, agony, or anger. Though it was all of those mixed in as well.

She finally managed to look away with a heavy sigh before turning her gaze back to him with a firm nod.

She had to do this.

They both did.

* * *

Once they finally made it up into the doctor's bedroom chambers and began their search, Charlotte went straight for the laptop she found on top of his bedside table, but frowned once she saw the security password log in page. Charlotte then looked up, startled as she heard thumping sounds and grumbles of profanity and then noticed James as he mercilessly tossed the room.

"Way to make it obvious! Now he's going to know that we were going through his stuff!" Charlotte reprimanded him.

"At least I'm trying to search and am not wasting time going through some stupid laptop!" James retorted, pausing his rampage to fold his arms at her.

Charlotte glared at him. "These are medical records that we're searching for, and it's the twenty first century which means that they've got to be electronic! The only thing is I can't get access to them because of the security measures he put up. I should have known they'd be heavy duty. He is a doctor after all."

"We won't need them anyways." James replied shortly before continuing to toss around different paper files. Sensing her doubt, he continued to explain, "Look I don't know if you've noticed or not, but the guy's a dinosaur. Even if he knew how to use electronic records, they would just list the same false diagnosis' that have been there for years. No, I'm willing to bet that that old bastard has hard copies of the real deal."

"Well…maybe you're right then. We should have started in the main study room where all the paper files are at." Charlotte said dejectedly knowing that they wouldn't have much time to go back.

"Nah. That's too obvious. Juicy files like that have got to be locked away where no one can find it…Somewhere like…in here!" James exclaimed passing by the heavy safe in his closet and instead went for an inconspicuous looking suitcase, forcing it open and letting the manila envelopes fall out.

"Do I even want to know how you figured that out?" Charlotte smiled and raised an eyebrow, not bothering to hide the fact that she was impressed.

"Nope. Now help me look through these before the geezer gets back. I think I see something, but it doesn't say your sister's name specifically. Something about an Emily Throne?"

"Give me that!" Charlotte snatched the folder out of his hand and read over its contents. Once she confirmed that it was the file she was looking for about her sister, she paused before opening it, bracing herself for whatever was inside and trying to push down the fact that she was further breaking and not bending the laws of HIPPAA.

She turned to see James eagerly reading over a file that she figured was his and turned her attention back to her sister's file.

It was a bittersweet reaction on her part.

The sweet being that Charlotte's hunch was correct and that the procedure listed was clearly different than the one she saw on her sister's current file. The bitter being that the procedure listed was indeed different than the one she saw on her sister's current file and that her sister had indeed suffered the unjust consequences of being misdiagnosed by a monster who conspired with her mother.

She turned back around to James to inform him of her findings, but paused as she saw him look down at his file as if in a trance and his hands start to shake with what she guessed to be fury.

"James? What is it?" Charlotte asked softly.

"Everything…Everything I need to put this bastard behind bars." James replied quietly, but his expression was unreadable.

"Well…that's…that's a good thing right? I mean, it's-it's what you wanted. For justice to be served…Now it can be." Charlotte tried to sound encouraging.

"Yeah. He'll get a few long years in a cold cell unless he'll charm his way into a comfy house arrest and then get out early on good behavior while I still suffer a misery that never should have happened to me in the first place and my life will remain damned in ruins forever!" James growled.

"That won't happen." Charlotte said firmly. "Jay Galtz will be caught and brought to justice. I promise you that."

"Oh please, with the way you rich types can flash cash and practically get away with murder, you can't be so sure of that, now can you Charlotte?" He replied bitterly.

Charlotte wanted to retort but thought about her past and her past family along with their deadly conspiracies. They were all like bars of soap: slippery enough to pass through fingers, but kept their hands clean every time; despite the blood that covertly stained them. Was there really a guarantee that this doctor would get what he deserved? With his status, fame, money, and power, the most he'd get from the DOJ would be a mere slap on the wrist…

No, that wouldn't be fair!

Charlotte knew that her silence to James' inquiry did not help matters as he suddenly threw down his file and stomped out of the room, making his way painfully down the staircase.

"W-where are you going? "she asked, trying to keep the trembling out of her voice.

"I gotta take care of something." James replied shortly, not turning back.

Once she heard the main door slam form downstairs, it was then that Charlotte realized that she was alone and without a clue of how to proceed forward. How could she alert the authorities without them being suspicious of her role in the affair? The consequences of what could happen to her and her hard earned status of someone that is sworn to fight and uphold the law made her stomach churn. Stevie was right. She went too far in this pursuit. But Stevie was also wrong! For her sister's condition was not at all what they all believed it to be! But that didn't change the fact that Charlotte was still in way over her head with all this. She had to do something! Her sister had to know about this!

Feeling the pressure close in on her tremendously where she suddenly found breathing difficult. She tried to think rationally to determine her next move. She then knew what she had to do, like it or not.

With shaking fingers, Charlotte then reached for her phone.

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

Amanda slowly opened her eyes, wincing at the bright light that blurred her vision as she gained consciousness. She took in the distant scents of chemicals and plastic as she tried to gather her bearings.

"W-where am I? What happened?" She slurred softly.

" _You're in the emergency room. Well the fast-track examining room anyways."_ The voice replied that she figured out was her husband's.

Once her vision cleared totally and she was able to see the small, clean, yet confined room with various medical instruments, she rose up and whipped her head towards her husband who sat in a chair nearby with his arms folded.

"What? No! Why are we here?! We need to get going Jack! We have to scope out that warehouse where they're keeping Nol- "

"-We're not going anywhere Amanda. Not until you get checked out first." Jack stated firmly while shaking his head.

She rolled her eyes, waving him off as she still insisted. "I told you I'm fi- "

"-You're not! You completely collapsed in my arms out of nowhere! You're not going anywhere till we get to the bottom of this." He cut her off sharply.

"Wait I-I did?" She asked with confusion, trying to recollect everything that just happened.

"And scared the hell out of me in the process? Yes, dear you did."

"I-I didn't realize…" She murmured quietly. "But…what about Nolan?"

"You won't be any good to try and rescue him like this. That's why we're here to see what the hell is going on with you first and then go from there." Jack replied seriously.

She gave him a doubtful look before looking down.

"Besides, I already checked you in and they're in the process of registering you as we speak so…"

She looked up at him again.

"Hey, I told you that if you weren't showing improvement by the end of the week, I was going to bring you here. And no, the dragging you kicking and screaming will not be an exception if it results to that." Jack replied with a glare as he looked her dead in the eye-daring her to try to challenge him or make an escape.

She sighed as she shook her head and relented. "…No…that won't be necessary…You're right. If I want to rescue Nolan accurately, I can't be more of a hindrance than I've already been lately…It's best to see what's going on and go from there like you said."

Once Jack saw that she was being sincere as she laid back down on the small gurney, he sighed in relief and reached over to peck her on the forehead, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear as he smiled and looked into her eyes. "Now see what happens when you stop being stubborn for like five seconds in your life?"

She gave him a look before grabbing a small cotton pillow wrapped in a plastic covering and whacked him with it repeatedly, eliciting a series of soft chuckles from him before he sat back down, yawning a few times.

"You're still tired…" She stated softly with sympathy, reaching over to stroke his cheek softly.

"Well, like we said, it's been a long night…and day for that matter…" Jack replied with another yawn.

"Mm sure it's not because of something else?" She asked with a hint of naughtiness in her tone, making him raise an eyebrow at her in confusion.

"If memory serves, I don't think you were successful in getting much sleep either…I'm so sorry Honey, I didn't mean to wear you out that much." She grinned in a fake sympathetic tone.

"Oh! Now who's getting cocky?" He smirked, grabbing the pillow and whacking her a few times, making her giggle briefly in response before she looked at him seriously.

"But in all seriousness Babe, why don't you go get some coffee or something from the cafeteria. You look like you could use it."

Jack seemed to contemplate on the idea since it seemed like a good one, but he narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously for a moment. "How do I know you're not gonna just jump out the window the moment I leave?"

She smirked at her husband. "Well for one thing, in case you haven't noticed, there's no window to jump out of, and two, I meant what I said. I need to find out how bad this damn flu is or what I can do to treat it or else I can't be any good to Nolan. There's no way I'm going to endanger him more than he already is…" She stated seriously.

He nodded in response before standing up. "Alright then, I'm off. Want anything while I'm gone?"

Amanda nodded but looked away, contemplating for a moment. "A yogurt would be pretty good right now…Blueberry. Or maybe grape, and a chocolate bar? Dark chocolate, with nuts. And some potato chips if they've got them? Oh! And do you think you could get me a large cup of ice chips? Actually, make that extra-large? And maybe a pickle spear? And a fruit cup?"

"…Uh…Sure?" Jack raised an eyebrow and blinked at her rather long list of an unusual choice of snacks.

"Great, thank you." She smiled at him softly.

"Yeah…no problem…I'll be back as soon as I can." Jack smiled with uncertainty, still trying to memorize precisely everything she wanted from the cafeteria, but leaned down to kiss his wife before readying himself to leave. Before he left the room however, he paused, hesitating before turning back towards her.

"Uhm…Sweetheart do you think you could-? "

"-Yes I'll text it to you." Amanda smirked knowingly.

"Ok, great thanks! "Jack breathed in relief that he didn't have to memorize her list of snacks and left feeling more confident.

Once he was gone, Amanda shook her head with a smile as she texted her husband everything she wanted and waited patiently for the doctor. Suddenly, her phone started to ring and she found out it was Charlotte calling. She smiled as she answered to greet her sister.

"Charlotte, hey! How are y- "

" _ **Amanda?! Is that you?!"**_

"Y-yeah it's me…Is everything oka- "Amanda's cheeriness turned into slight concern at the eagerness of her sister's tone. It was more like panic in her voice than excitement.

" _ **Oh thank god! I-I didn't know if y-you'd pick up or-or was busy with something…Listen, t-there's something I need to tell you! It's urgent!"**_

"What's going on? Are you alright? You sound out of breath."

" _ **Oh god…I don't know how to say this, but…Amanda she lied!"**_

"W-who lied? And about what?" Amanda furrowed her eyebrows in confusion of what her sister was talking about as she continued to speak in fragments and panicked sentences.

" _ **V-Victoria...She-she caused this! She's the one responsible for-oh god-I-I'm so sorry! She lied Amanda! She lied about everything! Don't believe anything she said to you. T-there's still hope for you and Jack! Victoria lied…"**_

Amanda's expression immediately darkened at the mention of her deceased foe, Victoria Grayson. "What are you talking about? What did Victoria lie about?"

" _ **She lied about-oh god! I-I'm so sorry! I-I have to go! I'll call you back later! Promise!"**_

"No wait Charlotte! I still don't understand what's going- Charlotte? Charlotte?!" Amanda's tone sounded desperate as she cursed at the dial tone that sounded from the call being cut short.

* * *

 **Back with Charlotte…**

Charlotte cursed inwardly as she ended the call abruptly due to the sound of footprints that startled her from downstairs. Tempted to call her sister back and inform her of all that was going on, Charlotte felt uneasy as she slowly made her way downstairs and looked around.

All was quiet.

Too quiet.

Before she could conclude that it was just her imagination, she heard a shuffling sound once more, confirming that someone was in the house.

"H-Hello? Is anyone here?" Charlotte called out with hesitation, hating the way her heels were clacking against the shining marble floors, tempted to remove them as to maintain stealth.

There was no reply.

"Who's there?! I know someone's here! You better show yourself now!" she demanded, trying to keep the fear out of her voice as she reached over to grab an expensive vase to use as a weapon.

She was met with silence once more.

She turned around the corner of the hallway, expecting to see James, but before she could call out his name, she yelped painfully as she felt something slam into her head. As she hit the floor, she noticed her vision blur with the image of expensive polished Berluti Gaspard Slash-Toe leather shoes, the same ones that the doctor was wearing earlier, before everything went black.

* * *

 **Back with Amanda…**

Before Amanda could call her sister back, concerned and alarmed by her behavior, the doctor entered the room.

"Mrs. Porter, thank you for your patience. I'm Rachel, one of the physicians here. You seemed to have given your husband quite a scare when he brought you in unconscious. But now that you're awake, do you think you can explain in better detail what's been going on? So far, he mentioned that you've been experiencing some intense flu symptoms, mainly fluctuating nausea. Am I correct?"

"Yeah…For the past few weeks, i-it's been hard to keep anything down until recently. Now for some reason, I've just been feeling exhausted." Amanda replied.

"And are there any other symptoms in particular you've been having? Runny nose? Coughing? Sore throat or anything like that?" The doctor asked while using her stethoscope to check for any wheezing or congestion in her lungs and chest.

"It started out that way…My stepson was sick with the flu like, I think a few weeks back and I caught it from him. I thought it would go away within the next few days after but…I just got worse. I got more headaches, I feel the frequent need to pee, certain…parts of my body feel really sensitive to the touch, I'm groggy and tired, and I'm craving the strangest foods even though, like I said, I can barely keep anything in my stomach depending on how it feels."

The physician continued to type her notes in the computer, but furrowed her eyebrow as she listened to Amanda explain her symptoms.

"I see. From what you're telling me, I have to ask. Do you think there's a possibility you could be preg- "

"-No." Amanda answered bluntly with slight bitterness in her tone, cutting her off.

"Alright, I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable. It's just necessary to list all the possible causes based off of the info you're telling me before I can make any kind of dictation or order any tests." Rachel tried to sooth her, noticing the disturbed expression on her patient's face.

"I-I'm sorry…It's just a touchy subject for me." Amanda murmured before sighing. "I don't know if you've heard about the shooting on the boat around 9 years ago-? "

"-That incident that happened from your first marriage to Daniel Grayson where Lydia Davis shot you? Yes, I've heard. It was quite the headline breaker back then. It must have been tragic for you." Rachel finished in a sympathetic tone.

"It was…Unfortunately, because of what happened and the various surgeries I had to have, I'm not able to ever conceive…" Amanda explained quietly, failing to keep her voice from cracking with sorrow.

"I'm sorry to hear that. That must be hard for you…And I can see that according to your medical history, it says that you had a…hysterectomy procedure done?"

"I suppose." Amanda shrugged, not being able to remember what the letter, which Victoria delivered to her, said completely in the past since she was blinded by her rage and sorrow at the fact that she could never have children. She then winced and quickly shook her head, trying to rid the memories of her reaction and the vulnerability she felt when she was overwhelmed by despair at that time.

The physician frowned slightly, catching the uncertainty yet hopelessness in her tone that she tried to mask, and glanced at her medical history she had on the computer screen. At first she thought maybe her patient had a severe case of pseudocyesis (false pregnancy symptoms), but she could tell that either something wasn't adding up, or that her sickness could be something else more severe that needed to be examined immediately.

"Alright then, Amanda, if you don't mind, I think it would be necessary to draw some blood and get a urine sample from you before we proceed with any other tests. The symptoms you're experiencing sound like a possible pregnancy, but if that is clearly not the case, we need to make sure it's not anything serious such as cancer since the symptoms can appear similar."

Amanda's eyes widened as she frowned at the possibility, reflecting to the disease that took her father away from her for good, before nodding reluctantly. "Whatever we need to do to be sure..."

* * *

 **Meanwhile back at the Warehouse…**

"Hm…So let me get this straight, you're telling me that there was a possible breach within our organization and that this… _Jack Porter_ fellow and his wife are in the area as we speak?" Devin Becker scratched his chin thoughtfully while leaning against his aquarium of prized snakes as he listened to Roxanne give her report out.

"Yes sir, and that's not the best part. After looking in on this guy, turns out that he's actually the late son-in-law of that deceased David Clarke guy. You know, the patsy you wanted but that Malcom Black snagged from you before you got the chan- "

"-I know who that is." Becker replied shortly with a hint of bitterness at the name of his deceased rival, before smirking. "Well then, looks like things just got a lot more interesting. I say that it's time we invite the lovely couple over for a little chat…"

"And Nolan Ross? What do you plan to do with him?" Roxanne asked.

"Well, does he know anything about this Jack Porter person?"

"No sir, not that I'm aware of." She lied.

"Then I'll be sure to check in on the lead he's got so far and confirm if this man in particular has anything to do with his search. In the meantime, why don't you be a dear and rally up the team of snipers to meet the Porters at the hotel to give them a warm welcome."

"But sir, I thought you wanted them brought here alive?" Roxanne raised an eyebrow at her boss.

"Oh I do! It'll just be a mere scare tactic to draw them out into the open in case they don't come willingly. But then again, I'm not heartless. If there are certain _fatal accidents_ that result, I can understand that…" Becker shrugged.

* * *

 **Back at the Emergency Room…**

After Amanda consented and her blood was drawn along with having her urine sample and Rachel informing her that she would be undergoing a Qualitative and Quantitative blood test, she waited almost anxiously after the doctor left the room for a moment and came back with an almost suspicious frown on her face.

"What are the results? I don't have… _cance_ r do I?" Amanda asked with concern.

"No, thankfully it's nothing like that. However, it is serious. Let me ask you something…When was the last time you had your menstrual cycle?"

Amanda looked away for a moment, trying to remember the last date of her period. "…I'm sorry, I can't recall…"

"But you still get them?" Rachel pressed.

"Yeah, I still do. Why?" Amanda raised an eyebrow.

"It's just what I suspected…I don't know how to tell you this but…I'm afraid you've been misdiagnosed ma'am."

"Excuse me?" Amanda's eyes narrowed with disbelief and utter confusion.

"A hysterectomy is basically the removal of the uterus, including the ovaries which is your reproductive organs altogether. It's impossible to have any menstrual cycle after such a surgery especially with your case. Are you certain there wasn't another type of surgery that was performed on you in the past?"

Amanda looked away, still in disbelief at the news before searching her thoughts for anything regarding what was done to her in the past. She drew a blank before a particular dark memory struck her like lightning.

" _ **Sterilizing you was my gift to the universe…."**_

"S-sterilize…" Amanda whispered as if in a trance before speaking a little bit louder. "I-I think I was sterilized…"

"Sterilization? So a tubal litigation procedure was done? Basically having you tubes tied, cut, or burnt?" The physician asked.

"I-I believe so…I just remembered that-I think that's what was told to me. Why?" Amanda nodded, but furrowed her eyebrow in confusion and slight anxiety since she felt like she was being kept in the dark.

The doctor let out an uneasy breath. "I asked all of this because regardless of whatever surgery was done in the past…according to your test results, it's showing that…you're pregnant."

Amanda's eyes widened and she almost forgot how to breathe as she froze completely.

"… _W-what?!"_ She uttered in an almost high-pitched whisper filled with incredulity. She then looked for any signs that the doctor was mistaking, but her shock only grew as her face remained serious.

Amanda then shook her head almost vigorously, mumbling as if in a trance once more but not noticing her voice breaking with every sentence. "No…N-no that's-that's impossible. I-I'm not able to _get_ pregnant…M-my husband and I have been trying _constantly_ for _years_ and _nothing_ has ever happened! There was never any change whatsoever in the slightest!"

"When it comes to tubal litigation, though its effect is meant to be permanent, it's not impossible to have conception afterwards. In fact, there's about a 1-2% chance of becoming pregnant after having your tubes tied; the causes usually being either the procedure failing, which can happen, reversal, or the organs recanalizing afterwards. Although the process can take years, recanalization can leave a small opening known as the fistula in the segment of the tube closest to the uterus. In your particular situation, you must have had a very rare, but extremely fortunate if not lucky opportunity since at the most, you should have undergone an ectopic pregnancy in which the baby grows outside of the uterus, which would have been unfortunate since there is no way the baby could survive without endangering the mother's life. Very rare, and I mean _very rare_ do eggs ever find their way to the uterus after sterilization, but that seems to be the case with you. According to your test results, you have an enormous amount of human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as the pregnancy hormone, in your blood. In fact, according to the amount it's indicating that you're actually at…10 weeks along…"

"10 WEEKS?!" Amanda nearly screamed. "T-that's just not possible! Th-there's no way that i-it could have gone so long without me detecting anything! H-how could it have gone so long without me noticing?!"

"It's rare, but not uncommon to discover pregnancy near the end of the first trimester; especially in your situation since you were misdiagnosed and didn't see it coming. I don't know who the physician was in charge, or who informed you of your false infertile state but- "

The physician's explanation sounded fuzzy and blurry in Amanda's ears as she started to blank out in her own mind. She looked down and struggled to control her breathing as she was still overwhelmed by the news and recollected all of her thoughts and memories of the past.

" _ **I'm afraid that you'll never be able to conceive, Emily."**_

"… _ **According to your test results, it's showing that…you're pregnant."**_

" _ **Fate can be so cruel."**_

"… _ **it's showing that…you're pregnant."**_

" _ **That hope is gone for me…"**_

"… _ **you're pregnant."**_

" _ **They did…I found out I can't have children. They took away my father, my mother, my best friend…and now this."**_

"… _ **pregnant."**_

" _ **She lied Amanda! She lied about everything! Don't believe anything she said to you. T-there's still hope for you and Jack! Victoria lied…"**_

" _ **Lied…"**_

" _ **Lied…"**_

"Victoria…" Amanda's eyes widened, but then narrowed in realization as she continued to whisper bitterly. _"She lied…That. Bitch. LIED. TO. ME!"_ Her hands started to shake with both anger and anxiety as she was unable to keep up her collected composure any longer.

Rachel frowned with concern as she noticed her expression, but continued to read off of her chart. "Ma'am? I know this must be overwhelming news…But there's more you should know."

Amanda turned her head towards the physician in anticipation.

"Regarding how you passed out, it's not uncommon since you're going through the motions of morning sickness and there's an increase in your blood pumping, but I would suggest that you take it easy. Your blood pressure levels are a little lower than I'd like. So maintaining a healthy diet, snacking mainly, and steering clear from any heightened anxiety is a must. But so far, the baby seems healthy and out of the danger zones since you're almost at the end of your first trimester. That being said, I strongly advise that you get in touch with your primary physician or OB-GYN and schedule an ultrasound as soon as possible so you can keep track of everything."

Still taken aback by the news, Amanda was rendered speechless, but still nodded her head in reply.

The physician's voice then perked up. "Other than that, besides taking some good prenatal vitamins, I say just let nature continue to run its course. You should be good to go. And I believe congratulations is in order?"

"Oh my god...T-this is really happening right now?" Amanda whispered in a hopeful tone, the realization hitting her as her vision blurred with tears.

"Yes, it's official. Should we call for your husband to let him know the news?"

"I-If it's okay, I'd rather be the one to tell him myself." Amanda rushed, semi-forcing a smile.

"As you wish. I'm sure he'll be excited seeing as you both really wanted this opportunity. Congratulations." The doctor smiled, shaking her hand before leaving to draw up her discharge papers.

Once Amanda was left alone in the examination room, her mind raced at expeditious speeds.

 _She was pregnant…_

 _Pregnant…_

 _She was going to have a baby…_

 _Jack's baby…_

 _Their baby…_

 _She was going to be a mother officially…_

She then tried to figure out an explanation for the timeline of how and when she conceived. If she was 10 weeks along, that meant that the event must have happened around a few months or so earlier. She frowned doubtfully as she thought about how unsuccessful she and her husband were every time they would try for a baby in the past. Her frown then deepened as she remembered how she let it affect their marriage.

Deep in the back of her mind, Amanda always had hoped that Victoria was lying about her infertility, but her enemy sounded so sure, so certain at the time and made her scorn evident in adding salt to the open wound. And she _hated_ that. She thought there was a chance, a hope that somehow she would prove her wrong. And at the time, that determination nearly consumed her, along with the disappointment whenever she failed to breed the results she wanted. It got to the point where lovemaking became a chore and a gamble, to where her heart would be pricked bit by bit as the realization of her infertility became evident every single time. She remembered the times when she would lock herself away in the bathroom, crying bitterly as she threw away multiple home pregnancy tests that would reveal minus signs on the screens every time she got her hopes up. And despite her flawless efforts of trying to keep up a good face around her husband, Jack was no idiot. He knew she was affected. He knew she was suffering. But he tried with all his might to reassure her that he was there for her and that it didn't change anything between them since he knew what he was getting into when he decided to marry her. It was his choice. And though his willingness to sacrifice like always touched her to no end, it only managed to increase her guilt and the wounds never really healed. But learning to accept and live with her situation was not an option if she didn't want to destroy the bond that weathered but still stood a good 20 plus years between them; so eventually, she managed to focus on what she _did_ have and learned to be grateful. She cherished every moment, confided in the love and support of her husband, and clung onto Carl more than ever which helped fill the void, despite knowing that it was still present within her.

So when did that all change?

She shifted her eyes to the jewelry she decided to wear earlier and paused, her eyes widening with realization as a memory overtook her mind.

* * *

 **Flashback to about 3 months ago…**

" _Jack? What's wrong?" Amanda asked with a raised eyebrow as she finished putting on her lipstick, but noticed how her husband was dragging along as he struggled with his necktie._

" _Do we_ _ **really**_ _have to go tonight?" He almost groaned._

 _Amanda sighed, instantly knowing what he was referring to._

 _Today was the day they were supposed to be celebrating their 7_ _th_ _year wedding anniversary, not that they could forget as it was a precious event and unfortunately, a day that almost everyone, especially anybody living in Southampton, always publicized with a spectacular party in their honor…every…single…year. Granted, Amanda was almost used to being a spectacle in the world's eye while she lived as Emily Thorne, but it got worse after she revealed herself to be David Clarke's daughter; the same David Clarke that was innocent all along after being known for a heinous crime, and Jack Porter was unfortunately doomed to share the burden of fame once the world caught wind of his and Amanda's rather interesting and touching history, marriage, and charitable foundations that they started together. Nonetheless, the couple tried to remain out of the public eye as much as possible. Thankfully, the craze for them died down over the years, giving them the chance to live an almost semi-normal life as a family, but it never really went away; especially whenever it was their anniversary. To show their appreciation, and not wanting to appear rude, they attended whatever event was thrown for them by their family and friends accordingly. But overtime, it became rather exhausting._

 _Jack sighed in exasperation as he tried to find the right words to express himself. "I…Look, I know how important it is that we go to these things, but it's just…I hate that it's an annual occurrence! I mean I'm not saying I don't appreciate everyone's thoughtful efforts, but it's supposed to be_ _ **our**_ _day,_ _ **our**_ _moment to celebrate_ _ **our**_ _7 years of being together. And instead of going to some flashy, fancy event I was hoping we could do something that's…I don't know, something that's more- "_

" _-us?" Amanda suggested._

" _Yeah." He sighed but nodded as he threw off his frustrating necktie._

" _I know how you feel, but we already dropped Carl off with the sitter and the committee worked really hard to put everything together for us and almost everyone's going to be there like usual…"_

" _-We can say we're sick." He suggested with a shrug._

 _She gave him a look. "Jack…"_

" _It wouldn't be a lie! We are sick! Sick of going to those damn parties like a ritual every, stinking, year! At least I am. Besides…I kind of had something else planned for us tonight anyways…"_

 _His wife's eyebrow raised with intrigue and interest. "Oh? Like what?"_

 _Jack hesitated and looked away before a hint of mischievousness lit his eyes as he turned back towards her, coming closer to undo the clip that had her hair neatly pinned up, moving a strand of her now sprawled golden locks out of her face, and smiling lovingly at her._

" _First, why don't you call and let everyone know that we won't be able to make it tonight and get changed, then meet me on the boat. Once we hit the waters, you'll find out soon enough what I'm talking about…" He suggested with a hint of sultriness in his tone before kissing her briefly, albeit sensually in which afterwards, she eagerly reached for her phone._

* * *

 _ **Later that evening…**_

 _They knew they'd probably regret their little semi-white lie to the public later, but as they were out on the calm seas, embracing the serine atmosphere away from the frenzied public, and they spent the evening talking, reflecting on the memories they had together, both good and bad, enjoying each other's company until one thing led to another, Amanda and Jack felt no shame whatsoever as they eventually consummated their love in what seemed like a long time since life and drama seemed to always get in the way. Tired and spent yet basking in the aftermath of their intimate time together below deck as they started to settle down from their respective climaxes, Amanda smiled as she suddenly rose off of her husband's body and reached into a nearby makeshift drawer to pull out a medium sized, gift wrapped box and handed it to him._

" _You didn't have to get me anything…" Jack smiled while shaking his head._

" _I know, but you should know me by now. I couldn't help it." Amanda smirked with a shrug, snuggling closer to him._

 _He unwrapped the box and opened it only to immediately burst out laughing once he pulled out the item. It was a custom made sailor captain skipper's hat. "Really? Did Nolan tip you off?" He gave his wife a playful 'are you kidding' expression._

" _Maybe, maybe not…I just thought it'd look cute on you." She shrugged innocently with a chuckle as she grabbed it and put it on his head, tipping it over his eyes. "Do you like it?"_

" _It's from you, so of course I do. Thank you." He gave her a quick kiss in thanks, before reaching under the pillows to pull out a small, medium sized velvet box. "My turn."_

" _You didn't…" She gave him a warning look._

" _Hey, turnabout's fair play. Go ahead, open it." He nodded his head towards the gift._

 _She rolled her eyes playfully but did what he said, only for her breath to suddenly hitch as her eyes widened to what was inside. It was a gold charm bracelet with little dangling sea glass pastels in between each symbolic trinket. There were 7 different charms in all. 6 consisted in the shapes of 2 small sailboats, 2 dogs, 2 infinity symbols, and the final charm being heart shaped. She caught on to its meaning almost instantly, of what was lost, what was gained, and what would last forever._

" _I-It's beautiful…" She whispered breathlessly._

" _So I take it, you like it then?" Jack asked with a knowing smile._

 _Amanda surged forward, crushing her lips to his before breaking away slightly. "I love it…I love_ _ **you**_ _." She emphasized, resting her forehead against his._

" _I love you too. Happy anniversary…" Jack murmured before bringing his lips to hers again._

 **End Flashback.**

* * *

Oh yeah…now she remembered.

Well that could have been a possibility of what'd happened.

Amanda watched the little charms on her bracelet dangle slightly as she rubbed her semi-flat stomach gently, now fully coming to the realization that there was a life growing inside of her.

But before she could start rejoicing, utter terror struck her as she came to another realization of their current predicament with Nolan and the danger he was in; and even more so, how her current situation could pose as a real threat to all of them since she dodged enough bullets already: almost drinking alcoholic beverages, being tempted to take certain medicines for what she thought was a severe cold, and finally, the risks of fatal danger she thought she would be able to handle regarding the ruthless gang that held Nolan captive.

Truth be told, if she continued, she could lose it all. No one was safe…

Nolan wasn't safe…

Jack probably wouldn't be safe…

She wouldn't be safe…

Her _baby_ wouldn't be safe…

But she had to do something. She knew she had to…

She just didn't know what to do exactly.

Her mind, which would usually always be churning with one plan and scenario after another, was completely overwhelmed and frozen. All she could think about was the people she loved and the life that was growing inside of her…How they were all at risk.

" _R-regroup…I-I need to regroup…Damn it! I need to regroup!"_

Just then, Amanda nearly jumped out of her seat as the door opened once more to reveal her husband holding a bag of the goodies she requested earlier along with a cup holder with his coffee and her ice cup in it.

"Hey, sorry it took so long! I swear the prices for everything in that cafeteria were nothing but highway robberies! I mean I spent like 5 bucks alone for a cup of ice! Can you believe that?! Anyways, I think I _successfully_ got everything you wanted and- "

Jack paused as he caught the look of his wife's distracted expression. It was as if she lost all the color in her face.

"Hey…are you okay?" He put a hand to her shoulder in concern, only for her eyes to nearly bulge out of their sockets as she jumped.

"I-I-I'm…I-I don't know…" She muttered, slightly trembling over her words as she tried to figure out the best way to tell her husband the unexpected news.

"Well…did the doctor say anything?" He asked attentively, only for her to slowly nod in response as if in a trance once more.

"Well…what is it Am? It's nothing serious is it?!" He pressed in a slightly anxious tone.

"It's-I-I mean…I'm-I-I just need to talk to you…" She replied almost desperately, sighing in frustration of how her words were so jumbled.

He shrugged but nodded. "Okay, go on I'm list- "

"-Not here. I-I'm-I mean…we need to go back to the hotel. Please? I promise to tell you there." She asked in the same tone, not leaving any room for her husband to protest. Jack just nodded and watched as she grabbed her discharge papers and left without saying anything.

* * *

On the way back, the ride was mostly silent but the anticipation was maddening for the both of them.

Jack didn't have the slightest clue of what the hell was going on with his wife, but knew that it had to be something serious. Truth be told, he hadn't seen her this disoriented since the time when she found out that her father wasn't dead like she thought in the past. That scared him. She was literally in the same state when he got back to her; hyperventilating, barely able to catch her breath, and clearly in shock. He shifted his eyes from the road to her from time to time only to see her with the same absorbed expression as she looked out the window, clutching a hand to her stomach.

For Amanda, she was bombarded with so many emotions at one time she didn't know what to feel at that point. Excited? Happy? Worried? Anxious? Angry? She didn't even know where to begin, much less, how to break the news to her husband, or even worse, how to continue on with the plan of getting to Nolan before it was too late.

Finally, once the couple got back to their master suite, Jack was fed up and confronted her. "Okay Amanda. Tell me what the hell is going on. Why are you so freaked out? I haven't seen you like this since the time you found out your dad was alive."

"I-I'm sorry. I guess I'm just still trying to grasp everything."

"What did the doctor say? She wouldn't tell me since she said that _you_ wanted to be the one to explain everything and you've been on the fritz since we left the hospital. Is it…is it serious?" Jack softened his tone and asked with concern.

"It is…" Amanda nodded before she looked down, a grim look clear across her face. "She lied Jack…"

"Who? And lied about what?" Jack raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"All these years and I…I-I didn't know… _We_ didn't know. But I should have known…I should have known!" She exclaimed.

"Known what?! Amanda, you're not making any sense!" Jack replied, holding his wife by the shoulders to calm her down.

"I'm sorry, I'm just-I'm trying to figure out the best way for how to say this…" Amanda apologized while running a hand through her hair, completely overwhelmed.

"Just come on out with it." He urged her softly.

"These past weeks… _months_ …of me feeling like crap, I-I know why now. It all makes sense…" She started. Her husband nodded for her to go on, before he felt her grasp his hand in both of hers, gazing intently in his eyes with a softness and vulnerability she rarely ever exposes. "Jack… _Honey_ I'm-I mean _we're_ -I'm going to-I mean _we're_ going to h…I'm sorry it's really hot in here, I'm feeling really faint. Do you think you could open a window?" Amanda asked softly, hating the interruption that was caused by the faintness and fatigue in her body.

Jack blinked at the interruption, wanting to hear what she had to say as he felt his hopes go up for some unknown reason, but got up anyways to open the window, only for his eyes to narrow at something or rather someone in the not-too-far off distance and then go wide with horror…

It took less than 10 seconds for him to realize he was staring at someone who was pointing a large gun, a silencer to be exact, at their location from afar.

 **"AMANDA GET DOWN!"** He yelled, immediately rushing back to dive after his wife. As soon as they hit the floor, Jack making sure that Amanda was huddled securely underneath him, the sound of glass shattering sounded all around them as a series of bullets rang across their room knocking over various décor and imprinting the furniture with bullet holes. All of a sudden, it stopped completely for a good long while.

" _W-we have to get the hell out of here! Someone's on to us!"_ Jack whispered urgently.

" _No! There could be more waiting outside! W-we should stay put for a moment in case they fire again!"_ Amanda insisted.

" _Are you nuts?! What if they start to come looking? They obviously know where we are!"_ Jack argued.

" _I'm working on it!"_ Amanda snapped, though she sounded more desperate than annoyed.

All of a sudden, there was a sound of something being thrown through the window and an item rolled in front of the couple that they instantly recognized as a grenade. They immediately shot up without thinking and rushed out of the room before it went off in the form of smoke. But before Amanda could realize that it was just a smoke bomb and that they possibly just walked into a trap by revealing their positions, she heard the sound of a gunshot along with her husband suddenly letting out an abrupt loud cry of pain as he stopped running behind her, writhing as he grasped his arm.

"JACK?!" She cried, turning around immediately to rush to his rescue only for him to cough and yell after her, "NO! Don't stop! Keep running towards the back exit!"

She refused to listen and tried to help her husband, horrified as she realized that he got shot, only for him to use his good arm to push her away and ahead of him. "D-don't worry! I-I'll be right behind you! GO!" He tried to reassure her despite the agony that strained his voice and made him grit his teeth in pain.

At his insistent pleading she reluctantly continued to run, the hallway starting to fill with the smoke bomb grenades along with a frenzy of panicked people. Once she made it out coughing slightly, she looked behind her, expecting to see her husband, but instead saw a trail of blood drops that led to the corner of the building and then stopped completely. She then looked around the corner to see a dark van and a bunch of men holding a bound and gagged Jack Porter who was struggling in their grasp and bleeding from his arm as they forced him inside the vehicle.

 **"JACK! NO!"** Amanda screamed at the top of her lungs, ready to run at outmatched speeds towards the van, only to sense a presence behind her and immediately attacked the source with a flying side kick followed by a series of skilled uppercuts and roundhouse kicks. Though she managed to land a few jabs and blows here and there, it wasn't enough to escape the intruder who Amanda recognized to be a woman. Unfortunately, this person was an expert at dodging her furious rampage, yet barely retaliated with her own hand-to hand combat. Amanda breathed harder as she and the woman circled each other, waiting for the other to make the next move, only for Amanda to launch out once more, desperately, being unsuccessful in landing any fatal blows and tiring herself out to the point where everything started to spin once more.

Before she felt herself collapse, she heard the woman's voice which belonged to a smirking Roxanne Meyers.

" _Hm…Impressive. Looks like they were right after all. That being said, it's an honor to finally meet you Amanda Clarke…"_

 **To be continued.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I know! I know! The previous chapters were longer, but hey, we HAD to get something out for the month of May. And since my fabulous partner (InfinityxInfnity777) was occupied in her other amazing story that was worth the attention, ("Before Revenge" go read it now! It's awesome!), we had plans to extend it, but didn't want to keep ya'll waiting since we haven't updated since April? So yeah. Here ya go! Let's see what ya'll think of this one.**

* * *

Amanda wanted to put a hand to her forehead in an attempt to stop the throbbing migraine that struck her once she came to, only to find out that her hands were restricted by handcuffs behind her back. She then tried to move her feet but then found that they were zip tied together. Feeling the motion of movement and constant thumping, she then concluded that she was in a moving vehicle.

She quickly tried to recollect the events of what happened and how she ended up in such a state. Once she remembered what had happened to her husband, she began to desperately thrash around in her restraints in a hopeless attempt to free herself.

But to no avail.

She then cursed inwardly and scolded her desperation and began to think rationally-observing her predicament and pondering ways to escape. Her eyes brightened once she remembered how she always kept a bobby pin in her front jacket pocket for special and fashion emergencies.

But reaching it would prove difficult…

Well, it would be if it was any other person…

However, Amanda Porter nee Clarke had a knack for getting out of tricky situations. She'd even go as far as to say that it was her niche. Without a second thought, Amanda then positioned herself and worked the handcuffs down to wrist level. She was thankful that she was in a sitting position as it made the task easier even though her feet were also restrained. She continued to shimmy her hands down to knee level from behind, keeping her arms in a loop shape until she wiggled her feet and legs through and her handcuffed hands were now in front of her and in her lap, giving her the opportunity to effortlessly reach for the bobby pin.

Only to find that it wasn't there.

Before she could curse outwardly, she heard a voice snigger at her.

" _Wow, aren't you resourceful! I'm impressed- 'didn't think you'd even get that far. I mean, it's still pretty pointless for you, but your determination is admirable nonetheless."_

Amanda whipped her head around, scanning her surroundings for the source of the chortle, glaring as she saw the woman that fought her earlier through the closed off barrier of the car that separated her from throttling that said woman's neck.

" _Then again, I have to give ya props. Your escape attempt might have actually worked if you had something to pick the locks with say-oh I don't know- a hair pin or something? It's a shame. It would have really come in handy. Hope ya don't mind me borrowing it-weather turned out to be windier than I thought and I unfortunately decided to try the layered bang special at the salon the other day. Silly me huh?"_

Amanda's glare deepened once she saw the familiar and stylish hair pin in the woman's hair.

"What did you do with Jack Porter?! Where did they take him?!" Amanda demanded in a furious bark.

"Straight to the point-you don't mess around huh? Okay then…To answer your question, I didn't take your hubs anywhere, a bunch of my comrades did. And as for what's become of him-he's either in a world of pain right now, or as good as dead. Does that satisfy your inquiry?" The woman known as Roxanne Meyers smirked at Amanda over her shoulder, despite the fact that the blonde's chest was heaving heavily in anger, her sharp brown eyes now narrowed in deadly slits.

"I will get out of here." She whispered low and deadly, fatality dripping in her tone. "And so help me, if he is harmed in any way, I will not hesitate to- "

"-to what? Kill me? Throttle me to death with your bare _bloodless_ hands? Because last I checked, your hands had a great track record of remaining squeaky clean above all odds, despite the fact that they helped create a numerous count of wrecked and destroyed lives everywhere in the name of your dearly departed father, David Clarke. And yet…you never deliberately used them to finish any type of job, or end any type of threat permanently…not even your rich bitch arch foe, Victoria Grayson. No…Daddy had to do that for you."

Amanda kept her death glare, but Roxanne noticed how it lightened with inquisition and her smirk grew wider as a response.

"Oh yeah, believe it or not, I actually did my homework. I've read up and know a lot about you Amy…Mind if I call ya Amy? It has a simple, nice ring to it and Mandy just seems so…redundant. Don't ya think?"

Enraged, Amanda started to thrash around desperately once more, not caring about rationality or not. Her vision was blurred with red-all logic out of the window. All she wanted to do was get free and strangle this bitch until every ounce of life left out of her body in each breath…after fishing out the necessary information of where Jack was of course, before finishing the job.

"Touchy, touchy! I'd take a major chill pill if I were you; wouldn't want to hurt yourself. Especially since I'm sure it wouldn't help better your current condition any more or less since you're gonna be killed either way. Why make it more complicated?"

Amanda immediately stopped her struggling, once she heard the word "condition" and tried to calm down, silently apologizing to her unborn child as she clutched her stomach.

" _I'm so sorry…We're going to get out of here…We're going to find Daddy…I promise…Just hang in there for me…"_

She then heard Roxanne radio in from the front seat. "Hey Dirk, it's me. Just checking in. Did you guys make it to the spot?"

" _ **Yeah. You know you'd be here too if you guys didn't insist on not taking the scenic route."**_ Dirk replied over the radio.

"Ah, you know me, going the easy way takes all the fun out of the whole trip. 'Sides, I had my own little errands to run." Roxanne smirked over her shoulder at Amanda once more.

" _ **Well, the boss is in the process of examining the punk as we speak. He's leaving me in charge of the prep interrogation work apparently."**_

"Hm, I sense a bitterness in your tone. Beckie's not happy with his so called _petty_ lead?"

" _ **Well he got the right guy. That's not the problem. 'Problem is, not only is he denying any involvement about the hack, he's also gettin' on Becker's last nerve with his resilience and silence. Tech geek ain't helpin' much by clampin' his mouth shut either."**_

" _Nolan…"_ Amanda thought fearfully, concluding that they must have had both him and her husband trapped together.

"Ooh…he's not a squealer I'm guessin?" Roxanne sucked a breath through clenched teeth.

" _ **Nope. And you know how much he loves the squealers…"**_

"So Devie's taking it hard then." Roxanne concluded with a shrug.

The sounds of punching and painful grunting on the verge of agonizing howls were heard over the radio that Amanda immediately recognized as her husband's.

"JACK!" Amanda cried aloud, struggling once more.

" _ **The hell was that?"**_ Dirk questioned.

"Something that should help make the boss feel a lot better. Tell him not to get carried away and that I'm on my way to take care of everything." Roxanne smiled.

" _ **Well, ya better hurry. This guy's really trying the boss's patience. It's gonna get ugly real soon. Real quick."**_

"Well…I might be just a little tad bit late. Facing traffic. Seemed to be quite a brutal accident up ahead on the road. But I should be there shortly…with a gift!" Roxanne commented brightly.

" _ **You're the boss…well, second in command anyways. Just get here when ya can."**_

"Copy that. Roxy out." Roxanne smirked.

Although a barrage of emotions were piercing Amanda's heart left and right, ranging from desperation to escape, to fury, to using every fiber of her being in pushing down the feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and despair, she couldn't help but look out the window to see more dark cars with the Black Mamba symbols imprinted on the sides, all moving at the same pace as Roxanne's car, surrounding them like a barrier. The traffic flowed smoothly without a hitch, in contrast to Roxanne's earlier comment.

"Alright, let's make it rain!" Roxane chimed aloud as she kept her foot on the gas, rolling down the window, and grabbing her silencer in the front seat to shoot at her comrades' cars ahead of her and on the sides, taking them out swiftly one by one, including the drivers with the skill of a true sniper. Before Amanda could recover from the shock of what just happened, the car's speed accelerated, swerving past the damage and rerouting on a dirt path.

* * *

Later, after parking near a seemingly abandoned white sedan, Roxanne unbuckled herself, grabbed her weapons, and loaded them into the other car before approaching Amanda who was still in the back seat of the previous car. However, as soon as Amanda saw her coming towards her to open the door, she readied herself and roughly kicked both feet straight into Roxanne's abdomen, knocking the wind out of her. Before she could recover, Amanda had already hopped out of the car and started swinging her arms full force, landing different blows on the woman until she was knocked down, searching for the key to the cuffs, but decided on grabbing a knife she found on Roxanne's belt instead. She managed to cut through the restraints on her feet, but before she could rise up to successfully kick Roxanne down again or stab her, Amanda froze completely at the feel of something hard and metal poking straight in her stomach.

"Nice try. Now, you're going to ease back and move nice and slowly into this very outdated yet still functional car of mine with no funny stuff. Since I highly doubt that you'll be stupid enough to try me while my finger is still on this trigger." Roxanne smirked, digging the barrel deeper into Amanda's stomach.

Amanda glared daggers at her but complied nonetheless. Normally, she'd have found a way to remove the gun by now, testing the risky waters, but she was clearly in no position to chance any type of risk whatsoever seeing as how there was another life in imminent danger than just hers alone.

No way in hell was she going to chance it…

* * *

Once they were in the car, driving off to god knows where, Amanda, still being held by gun point, heard Roxanne sigh after she suddenly stopped the car.

"…Listen, I'm sorry about all this. Taking the woman whom I've always sort of, kind of admired wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but I had to make it look good. Guess not every first impression can be a good one huh? After all, as we both know, subtlety can be the best policy when planning a deadly vendetta. I'm sure Takeda Sensei would agree. _Watashitachi no sensei wa, heiwade yasumu koto ga ari… (May our Sensei rest in peace_ …)"

Amanda kept her glare, pondering for a new way of escape, ignoring Roxanne's words until she mentioned Takeda's name and spoke in near perfect Japanese.

"Y-you knew Takeda?"

The woman scoffed. "Knew him? I was practically like a second daughter to the guy. Though you wouldn't know…Nobody knew. Well except for Niko anyways…" Roxanne gave a little cryptic smile.

"I've never heard of you." Amanda glared with suspicion as she shook her head.

"Like I said, nobody knew. Which is how I liked it. Though I wouldn't be surprised if you and the other top students like Aiden, Behrad, Shane, Ava, Jon, and the rest of the noobs ever caught the hint. But…I gotta admit, my hopes went up a little for you to get it at least, since your mission actually ended. Well either you or Ava Winters, but poor girl…I don't think she stood a chance. Not at that or getting her vineyard back. What a tragedy…Some people just aren't made for the lifestyle of besting karma."

"I don't understand." Amanda commented skeptically, not wanting to believe anything Roxanne was saying but couldn't doubt the familiarity of all the past students of Takeda that were mentioned.

"Mm, 'didn't expect you to. Takeda never mentioned my existence and for good reason. I never wanted him to. Hell, I never wanted to exist period after…what happened to me…but, I gotta give it to the old man, he was good at keeping secrets-probably had a bunch of his own. But just to shed some light, if you were the type of student that just so happened to be a snooper, you might or might not have explored the teacher's desk and saw a certain file locked away regarding one of his students with a mission status marked under 'un-known'. Now he might have been all hush-hush on the issue but probably made certain personifications like how the student was able to hide in plain sight, control things that could not be changed, forsook all emotion, and not only blended in the shadows, but- "

"-Became the very shadow itself… _Ushinawareta kage no densetsu!_ _(lost shadow legend)"_ Amanda's eyes widened in realization. "Oh my god…Y-you're the Lost Shadow Legend! The very first legendary student Takeda rarely ever talked about at all except in riddles but served as an inspiration!"

"Oh my god, did he seriously still give me that ridiculous nick name? Geez. Well, I guess it can't be helped, but yeah." Roxanne lowered the gun and raised up her suit jacket sleeve to reveal a special designed tattoo mark that had Japanese writing on her arm, along with a student symbol that Takeda once marked on her.

"I've read about your history once…a long time ago when I first arrived in Japan to train…What happened to you…and your family…Your real name isn't Roxanne, it's Grace Adams. You were born somewhere in Florida to a family who specialized in the medical field until a ruthless massacre happened and your entire family was wiped out, except for you. No one's ever heard from you since they presumed you were dead too…"

"Oh, I did die that day…Maybe not officially since my heart didn't stop beating in my chest and I still somehow knew how to keep breathing, but I did die…I just didn't know it yet." She chuckled mirthlessly before continuing. "Seems like you've got the textbook version of the events. But the story goes much deeper, much further…much darker." She reached into the glove compartment and pulled out an old photo, scoffing at it, but showed it to Amanda.

It was a girl, no more than 14 years old with long, natural red hair, and stunning hazel-green eyes that twinkled behind her thick rimmed glasses. She had a bright complexion of lightly freckle coated skin and high cheek bones that reflected the happiness in her shy yet toothy smile covered in pink colored braces. The girl's essence in the photo screamed naivety with a hint of quirkiness, but most of all- innocence.

"Meet clumsy, shy, and meek little Gracie Lilly Adams, the preteen whose only worries and cares in the world were how to not get caught staring at the cute boys in the back of the classroom talking to the hellish popular clique of she wolves that ruled high school with the faithful duties of making the geeky freshman girl in the glasses miserable. At the time, I always thought that, that alone was my own personal hell in itself…Oh how wrong I was…"

Roxanne shook her head with a frown before emitting a humorless chuckle. "It's funny how I spent years on end craving for that slice of hell…for those petty years of ongoing puberty that made me wish my life was over. I had no idea how that alone was life in itself. At least I was feeling something ya know? I had…something. But like the good ol' saying goes, 'ya never know what ya have, until it's gone'…That's a disgusting underestimation." She muttered bitterly.

"…What really happened to you?" Amanda asked, almost hesitating but kept the firmness in her tone clear nonetheless.

"Well, it's like you said. I was born in a family who lived for helping others-especially in the medical field. Unfortunately, someone within my ever so humble family tree-namely my uncle-had bigger dreams than just passing the NCLEX exams and wasted great time and talent in tinkering with inventions. He had good ideas for fancy wheelchairs. Really good ones. So good, that he knew he'd make a killing once he got them out on the market. But such endeavors needed to be funded by money. Money that we-or more so- _he_ didn't have on hand and that he had a hard time of getting due to shot credit and reputation. So, he ventured out to the loan sharks…or rather, loan snakes-the Black Mambas to be exact. He made a deal with them, not counting or foreseeing the consequences if he didn't keep his end of the bargain…and he didn't. He had a bit of a gambling problem…He thought it'd be no big deal, but it was. They found him eventually…They had friends in very high and low places so tracking his relatives down was a no brainer…I wasn't there for the event…when it happened. I was out running errands for my mother and saw this strange Japanese girl practicing martial arts in the park nearby my house. She looked around my age, and I thought maybe she'd be kind enough to teach me a few tricks to fend off the beauty vultures in my 3rd period English class. So, as a result of me goofing off with her, I was late getting home; passed curfew in fact…A grueling punishment of being grounded awaited me for sure was what I thought at the time…But it was so much worse than that…"

Roxanne hesitated, but let out a shaky breath before continuing.

"When I got home…There was…so much blood…Everywhere…It was like…like a slasher film mixed with World War 3…All I could see were bodies scattered over mom's freshly waxed hardwood floors. Bodies of people I knew…and loved…though I didn't always show it outwardly…I saw my mother, the same person whom just hours ago, I was protesting her requests to go to the store…I saw my father, who served as the mediator between us when things got hairy…I saw my little brothers and sisters…whom I just belittled and called them spoiled brats...Our family dog and cat…who coated the sofas with more blood instead of flea covered shedding fur…Everything…everyone I knew on a normal basis…Whom I didn't give a second thought to loving or ever saying goodbye…was dead. I-I remember being frozen…I couldn't move if I tried…I-I couldn't scream…I-I thought about anyone else in the family who could possibly still be alive…who could keep me safe or reassure me with their presence…my grandmother, grandfather, cousins removed, anyone…No one was there. Everyone with the Adam name in my family was reported dead…I knew this because I heard them…The monsters who were responsible. They were still in my house-laughing…commenting on how pointless it was to find such an ugly yet geeky pre-teen girl that their boss insisted needed to be hunted down and killed to avoid any witnesses or setbacks. I knew they were talking about me. And I knew that I was going to stay right there, shaking, broken, waiting for them to finish the job…To finish killing an entire generation within a day. Hell, all I had to do was let my piercing, horrendous shrieks and screams give me away…But I didn't. Somehow, I found myself running…just…running away. I didn't know where…my feet just kept going…I ended up at my old treehouse…It was still in my neighborhood so I knew they'd find me eventually. But they didn't. Because the same Japanese girl that I played with earlier and her father found me first…"

"Niko and Takeda…" Amanda muttered softly.

"They took me in…albeit reluctantly. Somehow they knew what was going on. They didn't have to step in or do anything, but they did. Apparently, Niko just couldn't get enough of my pesky personality…" Roxanne smiled humorlessly. "We became best friends…but…I was merely existing. It was all I knew how to do. I didn't have a purpose anymore…Everything and everyone I ever known or loved was…taken away from me in an instant…And I just…didn't know how to be anything anymore. I tried to end it so many times…Could have made a hell of a tat design out of all the scars that were on my wrists from failed attempts…But they kept stopping me…I was so angry…so empty…I just wanted to end it. But the old man insisted that there was another way…a better way…A way that didn't include those murderers getting the last laugh at my expense…The world already thought I was dead and so did they eventually…They thought they got away…But oh, I was so ready to prove how wrong they were. My parents always taught me the golden rules and how to 'turn the other cheek'. No matter how hard it would be, the outcome was being the better person in the end…But mommy and daddy weren't existing anymore nor was anyone else who could backup those comforting guidelines and moral fairy tales. I had nothing left to lose…and all I could feel was emptiness and rage and…something else…something dark…hungry…yearning for vengeance. And Takeda knew that…And he helped exploit those feelings until it consumed me. I then knew exactly what I had to do. I figured since everyone I ever knew and cherished was stolen from me and I had nothing left to lose…then might as well go out with a bang…a bang in which the impact would destroy every. single. last. one. of those bastards. But killing them would be too easy…too pointless. They were swift, quick, clever, clean. I was still gonna do it anyways, but I needed a better approach. Something that'd make me blend in not just the scene alone so they wouldn't see me coming, but in their very shadows…And so after years of vigorous training…that was what I became."

Roxanne shook her head with another chuckle.

"Looking back on it all…It's almost kind of funny. I mean I went from being barely able to make a proper fist to Takeda's secret weapon on his missions. Day in and day out I was trained by him. It was rigorous, exhausting, and very painful…But I learned to love it. I loved every second of it. Because I was able to feel something again. Granted, things were never like before…nor would they ever be again. But I greedily took all the training for myself. I was a force not to be reckoned with. And as much as I got a kick out of being the top tutor for all the noob students, I still had a vendetta to complete. And I would not be denied or delayed. When the time came for me to complete my final mission to prove that I was ready, I wasted no time in doing what was necessary. A little trip to the orthodontists and learning how to suffer through contact lenses along with a few Asian remedies for improving the skin and of course, changing the hair color, was what confirmed the very reflection of Grace Adams disintegrating forever, never to be seen again. There was just one last thing I had to do to make it official: I needed a new identity. Takeda had it all set up. He picked the right woman that was pretty much ready to disappear off the face of the earth. I just had to make it official…Which was the only setback since…I never actually killed anyone before…"

She sighed and looked at Amanda.

"Like you, I believed that killing just…wasn't the right way to go about things. Well…Okay that's a lie, since I already had it set in stone to massacre all those monsters that destroyed my family and my life. But I wanted it to be painful…slow…I wanted it to mean something-make it stick. They were guilty and therefore, were not a threat to my conscience. But the question remained…How far was I willing to go on my journey to get it done? Well, at the time, I wasn't ready. I was still going after those bastards though-whether I passed Takeda's death test or not. He, his rules, and expectations be damned. I managed to make some pretty useful friends in Japan who helped me erase the woman's existence like she wanted without actually killing her. In return for her fresh new start, I took on her identity and became Roxanne Meyers. Nothing was going to get in my way, not even the people on that lone island that I considered to be my new family…"

She sighed with a little smile. "Niko took it pretty hard, but understood all the same. The gal was nice enough to make corny friendship bracelets-one for me and one for her. It was a petty wish that I mentioned in my diary years before the incident. I didn't have any friends, but I always wanted at least just one…She became that friend-insisted that this was the only way she'd make sure I wouldn't lose myself completely; that I still would maintain at least just an ounce of the innocent, naive girl I used to be that bonded us. It was stupid, but I vowed to never take it off…that I would without a doubt finish my mission, and afterwards, would find her again, with the bracelet still dangling on my wrist. I vowed that I would finish my mission no matter what, but if ever there was a chance that she heard such news…but that my bracelet was returned to her without me present…that, it meant that I finished it at the cost of my life…"

Roxanne held up her other wrist proudly showing off the withered yet still functional friendship bracelet that dangled on her wrist as she pointed to it. "Luckily, it's still intact!" She cleared her throat before continuing, already knowing the next question that the blonde woman had in mind.

"As for how I infiltrated the Black Mambas…it was relatively easy. After all, I had a hell of a resume package to offer them: good looks, tactical and strategic ways of thinking, and I even brushed up on some sniper training! Even though I never actually killed anyone…Either way, I was skilled in the art of making people suffer by torturing instead of killing. As it turned out, they were short on some members so after I proved my worth, I was in and more than determined to take each and every one of them down. Their nest, like the very snake, was underground most of the time-hidden and out of sight. Though contrary to the actual species, these people were smart, agile, and unafraid when it came to their organization being threatened…But only if they were threatened. When they weren't, they'd seem like the most innocent, loyal, and trustworthy organization you'd ever come across in handling funds, stocks, even businesses. They had some pretty good companies implanted as well. One of them promoted and crafted fancy shmancy wheelchairs…Wheelchairs that were the exact same design and form of my Uncle's that he never got to put out…since…Yeah. Well, needless to say, that only pissed me off more. So, how did I start to take them down? Easy, I started to fulfill my dreams of becoming a cutting edge journalist, and would secretly film myself reporting, exposing, and providing evidence of every unlawful and despicable act that was committed behind the shadows with devices that served as covert cameras and tracking devices. Of course I knew that meant that I would go down eventually as well since I was a part of those acts, but hey, whatever it took so that they couldn't get away or crawl to their implanted agents within places the justice system usually couldn't touch. Anyways, I have to admit, in a twisted way it was almost kind of interesting living the life of both their secret charm and worst nightmare at the same time. I had accumulated enough evidence for the justice system to do their thing, and if I wanted to, once they were behind bars, I had plans to do away with them for good…It was all going the way it should…but then…something happened. I ended up doing something incredibly stupid…And it changed everything…"

"What?" Amanda prompted.

Roxanne looked at her once more with a sheepish shrug. "I fell in love."

Amanda blinked in response, her hardened expression waning just barely, waiting for the woman to explain herself.

"…His name was Tanner Scott…At first he was a pain in my ass-not that it was completely his fault. He was a hostage on one of our runs and the boss wanted me to look after him while he personally dealt with his family members who apparently crossed him the wrong way. I'm not the type to sit on the sidelines. Call me hyperactive I guess. I took it as punishment since I couldn't go through with killing someone Becker demanded me to take care of earlier that month. He was a mouthy one, that Tanner; blamed me for all of his misery and pain and called me every name in the book that would make sailors blush. And he was right. I did help ruin his life…not on purpose, but…whatever got me closer in the circle you know? Letting him know my true mission was a waste of time though. So I just took whatever guilt trip he'd send me on-frequent flyer miles included. But in those leisure times of boredom with nothing to do but listen to the clocks tick away, we found ourselves striking conversations over the silliest things…It was so stupid, and yet so…refreshing. It would be random, but we had a lot in common. A lot. He even understood my disdain for contact lenses since he was a four-eyes himself, but he pulled it off nicely with his messy blonde hair and those forest green eyes…One icebreaker led to another and before we knew it…we were sharing our personal lives and histories. He admitted that he never really blamed me for what happened to him-said that I just wasn't capable of murder and that somewhere inside of me was a good soul…"

Roxanne shook her head with a small smile.

"He was such an idiot…But not as much as I was. I kept trying to explain how I was nothing but trouble, but he didn't believe a word of it. It was a yin and yang contrast at best with us. He was so good…such a good person-never hesitated to help those in need. He was unselfish- a light that differed with the darkness inside of me…But yet, it felt like because of him, I realized that maybe I had a purpose for existing after all…And somehow, it wasn't part of the plan, but I told him everything about myself-who I really was, what I was doing…Everything. I didn't mean to, but something about him was just…I don't know…He made me feel like…like I had a sanctuary…Like I could still tap into the quirky, silly, and naïve side of my old self which in turn helped me to feel…human again. It helped me to focus on happier things…things that made me smile. He always made me smile, no matter what. If it was a corny joke, saying random stuff, talking about silly games or bad school lunches that were served in school, just something that got my mind off of who I had become…what I was set out to do, freed me from the darkness…made me feel-I don't know…He just made me feel- "

"-Safe?" Amanda offered softly, understanding everything the woman was trying to express.

"Yeah, that. Exactly that. Even though we were anything but. Despite all odds, we became best friends for a number of years…Only friends though. But deep down…we knew we wanted more. But we couldn't do anything about it. He was a hostage. A prisoner. But, I couldn't imagine my life without him. I needed him. So, after he heard about what I was really set out to do, he told me how he was an expert in tinkering with technology, preferably cameras. He then was my asset to my overall plan, but I had to get him in the inner snake circle. I put in a good word for him- did everything in my power to get the boss to trust him and his abilities. It worked…eventually. Before I knew it, we were working together for both good and evil, and were a pretty badass team. Once we were in pretty deep, confessions were made about how we felt about each other and along with that…so were mistakes…A reckless, yet beautiful mistake that I will never regret." Roxanne whispered.

"…You got pregnant?" Amanda asked softly, though it was more of a statement.

Roxanne hiccupped a chuckle as her eyes watered and she nodded. "We had already made plans to get married…But it happened after I accepted his proposal…Throughout that time, though Tanner appreciated and understood what I was doing, he supported me and yet didn't at the same time. He kept saying that revenge was dangerous on a number of levels…Not just physically, but that it was an addicting poison for the soul…A suicide mission even. I used to tell him that it was all I had left, but that fact turned into a pointless excuse since I realized that maybe I did have something to live for after all…And the fact that I was with child…his child…proved it. It gave me the opportunity to move on…to be more than just a shadow...He gave me the opportunity to move on, made many thought-out and strategic plans on how we could disappear without a trace and start a new life together as a family, and just…let it all go. Start over anew and all…And he was right. I knew he was…But…despite that I-I"

"-You couldn't let go…" Amanda concluded quietly. Roxanne shrugged and shook her head in shame as a response.

"…'Just needed to trap Becker in one more confession…One more criminal act for the records'-was what I thought at the time. Then afterwards, I'd be done for good. That was the promise I made to myself. I was always in doubt of whether or not I had enough evidence that would incriminate him and his gang for good. I couldn't bear the thought of them getting away…Hell, I couldn't sleep peacefully at night knowing that they were still breathing! So, I kept at what I was doing…hiding the pregnancy all the while, passing off the beginning stages as just really bad hangovers. I thought, I thought I had it all under control…"

Roxanne didn't bother to wipe the tears that were now streaming down her face uncontrollably as she continued to explain in a broken tone.

"But then, one day, word got out that there was a mole within the organization…A traitor…and Becker wanted to know who it was…He set up a trap…A bomb to be exact…made to look like a faulty wiring combustion accident…I thought, I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to catch this bastard…So when he asked me to set everything up according to his signal, I did whatever he wanted to gain his trust, secretly filming every detail all the while. I was supposed to be off with Tanner. We were supposed to be undergoing our disappearing act and moving on with our lives together, but…he was the victim of that trap. I didn't know that. I almost thought they suspected me to be honest…But I was too good for that…too deep in their shadows to be caught, so I figured it couldn't have been me…But in reality, I didn't care who it was. All I knew was that…I just had to do this one thing to get on Becker's good side before taking him down…I just had to get closer to the snake before striking at the right time…But like the snake species, whenever Black Mambas are threatened and they lash out in defense, it tends to happen so quick, you never see it coming…And before you know it…It's too late…That's exactly what happened. The bomb went off before I had time to warn or save Tanner. He was gone…And the impact struck me too; but of course, somehow I managed to survive…By the time I woke up in the hospital…I was informed that Tanner Jr…or Tonya…was gone…"

Amanda's eyes, that were once hardened but inquisitive as the woman spoke, then widened in horror and softened with sympathy for Roxanne as she absentmindedly but protectively brought a hand to her own stomach, her thumb stroking over her it gently, cringing at how that must have been for her.

"The gang of snakes surrounded me, applauding me for my bravery and taking out the traitor, sympathizing that I was part of the blast. One of them, Darcy in particular teased how she overheard the doctor telling me that I lost my baby…When she asked who the father was, I just…I just remembered shrugging…I couldn't speak, I-I still couldn't believe that I was even still breathing...When she taunted how I must have I gotten knocked up but didn't know all that time, she reassured me that it was for the best and that I didn't have to deal with a snot nosed brat since Becker had plans to promote me in more ways than one. I just…nodded. Waiting for them all to leave…so I could acknowledge the fact that once again, I died. I knew I did…But for some reason, my heart still beat within my chest. It was all my fault! I wanted Tanner! I wanted my baby! But…but I chose my revenge mission over them and…and I lost them both…"

Roxanne was breathing heavily now, containing her bitter cries as she huffed and puffed in broken anger.

"And so…I-I lived with my choice. Thrived on it. I proved my devotion to those snakes by forsaking all my values…all of them…I-I started taking lives…became their own personal assassin…making it official. Whatever it took to dig me deeper…It got me closer to those vipers until I was Chief of Operations. This-this was the final step to take, before I'd get close enough to kill them all. My original plans of bringing them to justice first be damned! Now I'm out for their blood. And NOTHING will get in my way!"

Roxanne clenched her shaking fists, her long nails digging into the flesh of her palms as she bit down on her lip, drawing blood, trying to hold herself from breaking down, transferring all of her sorrow into emotions of silent fury as she regained her composure and whipped her head towards Amanda-a set and determined look on her face.

"Rescuing your husband and friend won't be easy. I meant what I said, he's in a world of pain right now. Becker was dead set on capturing him and making him pay for interfering with his plans and hacking his organization."

"He didn't do it!" Amanda insisted desperately with a glare.

"I know. Ross did right? Doesn't matter unfortunately. Becker still wanted Jack either way. He called it paying homage on behalf of his ex-girlfriend Lynn Wayburn who wanted him dead in the first place. I'm sure you've heard of her?"

Amanda went quiet with a clueless expression as her eyebrows furrowed, trying to search her thoughts for any familiarity of the mentioned name, but came up with nothing.

"Well what about Malcom Black? Or his daughter Kate? I'm sure you must be familiar with those names?" Roxanne asked, watching Amanda's expression go dark, confirming the answer before continuing. "Yeah well, Lynn was Kate's mommy, and a very unhappy one at that. Though she and her family were rivals of Becker's organization, he still had a soft spot for her. So, when she came bursting in, insisting that your husband had something to do with Kate's death, despite the fact that it was a solved case in the past that was never to be seen again, she couldn't let bygones be bygones and insisted that not only was your husband responsible for her daughter's death, but also that he was the one responsible for risking exposure to the Black Mambas. Well, since Becker was still bitter towards Lynn for leaving him in the first place, he still killed her, but said that he'd honor her request to check him out. Even if Jack had nothing to do with it, Becker will still put him to the test and push limits for the hell of it. He's the type that gets off on of people's misery, especially fear. But…I'm guessing by the horrified expression on your face that your husband _did_ have something to do with Kate's death after all?"

Amanda went silent before looking down, sighing, until she reluctantly murmured, "…He did it to protect me…She already killed someone I cared about and she was about to shoot me…Jack came just in time and prevented it from happening before she could. We were careful…smart…'covered up the incident to where no questions would be asked. I…I thought this was behind us!" She shook her head, cursing inwardly at how this particular skeleton had reared its ugly head out of the closet with a vengeance.

Roxanne nodded, her face twisting as she shrugged. "Well, for the world maybe, but it wasn't for Lynn. She's obviously not a threat anymore, but Becker…I'm guessing from what we heard over the radio earlier, is just getting warmed up. With any luck, I don't think he killed your husband yet, but…he sounded frustrated. I may not know much about Jack, but I know Becker. Your husband's got him riled up somehow. He'll prolong his torture as long as he can until he can find something to really get under his skin if beating the living crap out of him isn't enough- just to get a rise out of him. He'll find a way to make him beg for it to be over. Which I'm guessing judging by what Dirk said earlier, your husband's toughening it out, but Becker will dig deeper. That's how he is…"

"WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! I HAVE TO SAVE HIM! NOW!" Amanda cried in both desperation and anger, not being able to bear the thought of her husband in critical danger or pain…again.

Roxanne nodded. "Well, I've got a plan. It will work. But we have to be careful. You have to follow every instruction to the letter without missing a beat. Any wrong move, anything out of place in the slightest, will send the whole thing up in flames for all of us. And that can't happen. This is my only shot at taking down those bastards for good, and maybe your only shot for rescuing your husband and friend."

"I'll do whatever I need to." Amanda nodded adamantly.

"Well don't get too eager. Despite knowing what you can do, I already know your abilities are gonna be limited this time around. You'll actually be a hindrance to tell you the truth, but I'm guessing you won't take no for an answer either way, and we don't have time to argue, so I'll just have to deal." Roxanne stated firmly.

"What are you talking about? I'm perfectly capable of handling myself! You have no idea of what I can do." Amanda nearly growled with an irritated frown, offended at the woman's words.

"You, yes. But it's not _just_ you, now is it Amy?" Roxanne pointed out matter-of-factly, causing Amanda to raise an eyebrow in response. Roxanne continued with a smirk before softly inquiring, "So…how far along are you?"

"What?" Amanda blinked, bemused as she was completely caught off guard.

"Pregnant right?"

Amanda went silent once more, not being able to decide if it was a good thing that this woman knew her condition or not. She sighed before whispering. "H-how could you kn-?

"-Let's just say you had the all-too familiar glow that I recognized and remembered having myself once upon a time…" Roxanne uttered softly with a wistful smile.

"I…I didn't think it was obvious…" Amanda looked down. "…10 weeks."

Roxanne winced and sucked a breath through her teeth. "Wish I could say you were out of the danger zone…"

Amanda didn't say anything.

Roxanne sighed before fishing out her keys to unlock the handcuffs off of Amanda's hands.

"Well, like I said, this plan will work, but we have to be careful. It's risky, not gonna lie. You may think you'll come up with your own way of dealing with this, but I know how these people operate, you don't. And despite whatever you must be feeling right now or what your sharp, logical instincts tell you, you're gonna have to trust me. Otherwise, it won't work. Think you can handle that?"

Amanda looked away, contemplating long and hard in silence. Of course her logical and self-preserving instincts were screaming at her to not trust this woman and now that she was free, to come up with her own well-crafted plan to escape and save her husband and Nolan, but she couldn't deny that Roxanne made a lot of solid points and she knew that her entire story had to be true. She recognized that look of hatred and determination to see an agenda through no matter what the costs. This woman was ready to die if she needed to get it done. She was too far gone on the stony path of retribution, and yet, she offered to help her? What was up with that? Amanda didn't know. Was it suspicious as hell? Yes. But either way, it was some type of solution at best and she couldn't risk losing Jack or Nolan.

She wouldn't.

So, finally after a long, pregnant pause, Amanda looked up, her expression resolute and undaunted.

"Like I said…I'll do _whatever_ I need to."

 **To be continued.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Well, here we are guys! A new update! Thanks for reading. And if you're enjoying or have any suggestions or comments, please let us know by reviewing! (You have NO idea how much we enjoy those!)**

* * *

Waking up with frantic eyes, her head pounding as heavily as her heart was racing, Charlotte forced herself to take deep breaths as she tried recalling the last thing she remembered.

" _ **She lied Amanda! She lied about everything! Don't believe anything she said to you!"**_

That's right, she had found the proof that Dr. Galtz had misdiagnosed Amanda at the bribery of her mother.

Cursing out loud in outrage, feeling a suffocating frustration rising up inside of her, Charlotte let out a furious scream, as she tried struggling out of the wooden chair she'd been secured in after being knocked out.

" _Not again…not now…"_ She was so tired of being the victim…of feeling fear. She was supposed to be stronger now, she'd pursued this case because she had thought she was different, that she'd finally grown stronger and smarter like her older sister.

" _That's right...Amanda! What would Amanda do in this situation?"_ Charlotte tried thinking, knowing her instinct to scream or cry would get her nowhere. Amanda would be calm, calculating, she would look for anything to help her escape.

Scanning the room, Charlotte tried channeling the inner revenger she hoped every Clarke possessed, as she carefully looked around.

She was in a small room, which looked relatively empty except for a little shelf with old books, a few indistinct paintings on the wall, and a small desk with a vase of artificial flowers placed upon it. To her relief, the dark wooden paneling seemed to be the same as the flooring of the different rooms she'd explored, so she suspected she was still in Dr. Galtz's house. There were no windows in the room though, and it felt colder where she was, so she also suspected she was in a room in his basement, though the chill could certainly just be from the distressing predicament she found herself in.

Trying to free her hands from the tight bindings they had been secured in against the backing of the chair, Charlotte desperately kept struggling in vain as she heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs, and even still as the door swung open and Dr. Galtz stepped in.

"That won't work dear" he sneered, observing her with a look of disdain as he paced the room in front of her, deeply irritated by the situation she had forced him to take control of.

But as they say, desperate times call for desperate measures.

"See I suspected you Charlotte Grayson…or I apologize, it's _Clarke_ now isn't it? Sorry, I've just always favored the Grayson's more, but I'm sure you know that, since you've been snooping around my house. To be fair, I did leave you there alone, but that was on purpose. I wanted to test my suspicions and find out what you wanted. It was just too strange, bumping into you at my event. Admittedly it took me a while to recognize you at first, but you're the notorious daughter of both a Grayson and a Clarke, you can't hide that so easily. Next time Charlotte, you should really be more careful or at least get someone unknown to do your dirty work".

"You're the one with the dirty work," Charlotte spoke back sharply, her eyes darkening in outrage as she glared at him, anger overtaking her fear despite the goosebumps running up her arms, "I know what you did to my sister. You're a doctor, you were supposed to help her heal, not cause her more harm. You're despicable, faking her infertility, making her believe she couldn't conceive, and for what? More power, more money, those things aren't worth abandoning your morals for."

"Your mother disagreed dear...And so did I, the price was certainly worth it. Your mother managed to get me into a higher position at the Suffolk Memorial hospital, and with it came, more power, money, recognition, credibility, and authority. I wouldn't take that back even if I could…and it's not as though Amanda Clarke was someone innocent anyway…I may have purposely faked her infertility condition, but she purposely faked her whole _identity_ , and yet _I'm_ the bad one. I'd say your morals are rather skewed too Charlotte, if you can't understand that."

"That's different!" Charlotte naturally defended, shaking her head at his faulty rationale, "What Amanda did, she didn't do for such vain, selfish reasons, she did it for our father, for justice…to right the wrongs of those who framed an innocent man, and even still Amanda understood consequences, while you sickeningly think you don't deserve any. You say Amanda wasn't an innocent patient, and though that doesn't justify what you did to her, maybe she wasn't…but what about James? He was innocent in all sense, and you still screwed him over!"

"It was a medical mistake." Dr. Galtz replied tensely, his face darkening at the mention of one of his former patients. It could mean no good, those two being in contact, Charlotte might be more dangerous than he had initially thought, especially if she'd been recruiting the few patients he had wronged to advance and preserve his well-built medical career. "It was unfortunate, but it happened. Even you shouldn't be so naive to believe doctors are perfect."

"He didn't need a perfect doctor, he needed a doctor who could take responsibility for his actions and own up to his mistake!" Charlotte retorted, feeling her emotions rise up in the disgust she felt for the truly selfish man in front of her. "Because of you James lost his right leg when he didn't need to, and that cost him a lot more than just movement. You could have apologized and taken responsibility like a worthy doctor, instead though you covered it up to maintain your image, and bribed him into keeping quiet, knowing that without a leg he had lost his cycling profession and source of income, and would need money to pay for the medical bills, recuperation, and his new life without a leg."

"James was well compensated…"

"MONEY CAN'T PATCH UP THE HOLES CREATED IN A PERSON'S LIFE!", Charlotte spat back, knowing all too well having been brought up in the wealthy Grayson household, that money can't fix up much of anything, let alone pain or guilt.

"And what, ruining my credibility can?" Dr. Galtz replied with a nasty laugh. "I'm sorry Charlotte, but I'm not ready to lose the legacy I built, and I won't let you nor James or anyone else ruin that. Why do you think you're down here?"

"YOU CAN'T KEEP ME HERE!" Charlotte shouted angrily, her pent up anger, fear, and frustration spilling out in a furious burst, "People know where I am… _Amanda_ knows where I am!" she began to bluff, praying the name of her powerful sister would advise him into caution, "She spent over 10 years fighting for a father she thought was dead, I can't imagine how hard she'd fight for a sister she knows is alive, o-or what she'd do to you if you ever harmed me...she'd be _merciless_ ".

"You sound fearful, Charlotte." Dr. Galtz replied unwaveringly, a frown on his aging face as he stared coldly at Charlotte before walking towards the door, needing to make a couple calls. "For now though, sit tight little Clarke."

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

Nolan Ross unsuccessfully resisted the urge to flinch as he watched Becker's men crowd around the now moderately battered form of his best friend, delivering a series of blows with their fists one after another until Devin Becker gave a mere wave of his hand, signaling them to back away from Jack Porter.

Becker then sighed lightly. "You know…I like to consider myself a very patient man…Especially when I invite unknown guests to my humble abodes…But you are testing my generosity to its breaking point Mr. Porter. And I grow weary that I'm hitting a rather thin line." His mellow voice then dropped into a gruff tone. "Now, I will ask you once more, are _you_ responsible for intercepting our resources and _where. Are. The. Rest. Of. The. Assets?!"_

Of course it didn't help the situation that both Jack and Nolan were constricted separately by being chained hand and foot to the wall, both helpless to escape or fight back against the abuse. But once Jack managed to catch his breath from the onslaught, it didn't stop him from painfully giving a deadly glare of defiance at Becker through his blackened eye. "My answer's gonna be the same as last time, _Asshole_. I didn't have anything to do with your deranged criminal organization-!"

His protest was cut short due to one of Becker's henchman kicking him in his injured and still bleeding arm, making Jack abruptly cry out in agony.

Becker raised his hand up once more, preventing his gang from attacking him and gave Jack a mocking, hurt expression. "Deranged? Aw…Now you're just hurting feelings." He began to circle around him like a shark. "Well. Contrary to your opinion Mr. P, a valuable source, who was rather dear to my little ol' heart, told us otherwise-that you were not only responsible for the disruption of our operations, but so much more...Her name is, well _was_ , Lynn Wayburn…Ring any bells?"

After coughing a bit and catching his breath once more, Jack continued to glower at Becker, only for his face to scrunch up in confusion at the name mentioned; as if it sounded familiar to him, but yet he could not remember the significance thereof, nor did he care to.

"Well, maybe the remembrance of Lynn's lovely yet _trampy_ little daughter _Katherine Black_ will jog your memory? Surely you must remember her? Seeing as, according to her mommy, _you're_ the one who killed her."

" _How the hell?!"_ Jack's sore, bruised eyes widened in horror as a set of distressing flashbacks struck his mind like lightning in a dreadful ambush; resurrecting old memories and moments that he preferred to keep buried deep out of his mind, but were now resurfacing-cutting open old wounds. Jack then cursed inwardly at how he was caught off guard with Becker's statement which unfortunately, revealed the discomfort and vulnerability in his weary blue eyes, affirming the ugly truth in Becker's claim before hardening his scowl once more.

Nolan also clenched his eyes shut, cursing silently as well at his best friend's unfortunate state. His eyes then reflected the fear he felt- his heart pounding within his chest and a chill flooding throughout his body as Becker's thin lips grew into a haughty yet enlightened smirk.

"Not so ignorant now, are we JP? And if you are indeed guilty of that…who knows what else you could be capable of doing. Now at first, I must admit…I thought surely my Lynnie-Lynn _must_ have obviously been mistaken…I mean, you seem like a rather decent, stand-up guy who is not capable of such an act in the slightest…But then again, looks can certainly be deceiving…"

Becker began to circle Jack once more.

"However, since I can be such a softie, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. All you have to do…is give me a name; since I highly doubt you were capable of pulling off such a hack into our organization alone, if not at all. But perhaps you know someone who could? Maybe even someone that Mr. Ross here has failed to provide us info on despite his talents. So, just tell me what ya know, and it'll all be over just like that." Becker snapped his fingers for emphasis.

Jack hesitated, risking a quick glance at Nolan but huffed as he looked down, muttering quietly. "Well, if that's the case…I guess I do have something to say after all..."

Becker's eyebrows rose with intrigue as he bent down to Jack's level. But before he could inquire what it was that he had to say as he raised Jack's head up, he reeled back suddenly as Jack spat a mouthful of blood into his face before continuing darkly, "You and your disgusting group of vipers can go to hell!".

Before Becker's men could launch out with the full intent to kill, Devin Becker raised his hands up once more, signaling them all to be still as he grabbed his handkerchief from his suit pocket and calmly wiped his face clean of the disgusting substance. He then frowned grimly as he suddenly pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Jack's head.

"Well…I'm sorry it had to be this way then." Before Becker could pull the trigger, a voice desperately rang out throughout the room.

" _ **I DID IT!"**_

Becker turned his attention towards Nolan who somehow managed to free his mouth enough to yell out, "I'm the one responsible for the hacking incident from the very start!"

"Nolan!" Jack tried to admonish, but to no avail. Nolan continued his confession desperately, yet boldly.

"-Your messed up snake charmer organization made an illegal tradeoff with a less psychotic yet still corrupt organization that was inflicting some serious collateral damage on a dear friend of mine and I wasn't about to let it still go on. So, I intercepted it as soon as it all went down. Jack Porter had nothing to do with it. So go ahead and do what you want with me, but you better leave him the hell out of this!" Nolan glared dangerously.

Becker blinked at Nolan's abrupt audacity, but then huffed a chuckle, lowering the pistol from Jack's head as he began to slowly pace the floors.

"You know what was one of those moments in life that I found most annoying? Those times back in school when you'd have a multiple choice test and you're sure of your answer, but you fill in the bubble of another choice instead, thinking that it must make the most sense making you in turn, doubt your intuition, only to find out that you were right all along. That always bugged me back then…and it sure as hell bugs me now."

He narrowed his eyes in irritation but smirked as he walked in front of Nolan.

"I always had a feeling that you were behind our misfortune Mr. Ross. But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't gratifying to receive a full, honest confession from you anyways. However, though your disclosure is admirable, and while I could simply just let your innocent friend go here and deal with you instead, Mr. Porter here has successfully managed to piss me off. And I do still owe my ex bae either way." Becker shrugged with a cocky grin. "But I must thank you for stopping me just now. Simply blowing Mr. Porter's head clean off of his shoulders would be too quick of a death after all-too merciful, and not as much fun as it would be to watch him beg for it all to be over."

Becker put a hand to his chin, pondering. "Now, let's see…What would be a fitting way to close the chapter of life for you two? I could have my little pow wow here beat you to death…but where's the fun in that? I could also shoot you up into Swiss cheese slices or dismember you piece by piece, but that'd be too messy and this place doesn't exactly clean itself…Not to mention I had my boys do that to another fellow who crossed me the other day so that's out…"

" _ **What about bringin' in the big boys, bro? I'd love to see what these babies will do to them if we let em loose. Especially to this so called Jack-ASS here who practically poisoned me the other night!"**_

Jack turned his head around and nearly growled at the sight of Dylan Becker who, although still looked a little pale from before, joined his older brother's side with Darcy and his other lady crew wheeling a container of slithering Black mamba snakes in front of them.

"Oh please, I'm not going to say that you didn't have that coming to you my dear brother. After all, you and your choice of habits are certainly something left to be desired." Devin rolled his eyes.

Dylan nearly rounded on his older brother. "The hell is that supposed to mea-?!"

"-Besides, simply killing them and ending it no matter how slow or fast the process goes will not be enough to satisfy me nor the debt that is owed to us…No, I want them to suffer first. A little soul-sucking murder should suffice just fine for the time being." Becker smirked slightly, reveling in the idea of torture.

"What'd you have in mind then?" Dylan raised an eyebrow.

"Well, this party's a little dull here for my taste-it could definitely do better with more guests. Not to worry though, I'm sending the boys out to pick up someone that would make quite the little V.I.P. And judging by all the considerate calls made to a particular campsite in New York we just triangulated from Mr. Jackie's phone, I'm sure Papa Porter here will be just thrilled to see this little Carl person. Especially seeing as how apparently, he is his only son…"

Jack and Nolan's eyes both widened with pure horror at the mention of Carl.

"Imagine the fun we will all have when he arrives." Becker smirked dangerously at Jack as he simply stepped back, unflinching as Jack then growled and roared in an outrage while attempting to launch forward furiously to throttle Becker's neck-the fact that he was still chained to the wall be damned. **"YOU SICK SORRY SON OF A BITCH! IF YOU EVEN THINK OF GETTING NEAR MY SON I SWEAR TO GO- "**

"-HA HA! YES! There's the excitement! Where has that feisty side been all night hm?" Becker howled with laughter as he snapped his fingers, signaling for some of his men in the background to leave with the sole purpose of finding and fetching Jack's son.

" _ **While I can definitely agree that bringin' the kid here will spice up this lovely party, how's about I do you one better in the meantime?"**_

While Nolan's eyes widened with dread, The Becker brothers' eyes brightened with joy at the sound of Roxanne Meyers' silky, smooth voice as it confirmed her return to the gang- the sound of her high heeled boots clacking against the concrete floors grew louder as she neared their current location.

"Roxy Baby! About time! Where the hell have you been?" Dylan called out flirtatiously making Darcy roll her eyes in response.

" _ **Sorry I'm late. Like I told Dirk earlier, traffic got nasty. Besides, I had to pick up a little gift for Devie here- a source of entertainment to liven up the party if you will."**_ Roxanne's voice replied smoothly.

"Well by all means, do share with the class." Devin smirked.

"Of course! But first, allow me to indulge in a little history lesson based off of my research. Once upon a time, turns out Mr. Jackie P here had a lovely little boat named after his pretty little wife. But after an unfortunate event, it was ultimately destroyed…Shame that history is going to repeat itself now. Especially since the _Amanda_ is carrying some rather _precious_ cargo…" Roxanne smirked as she entered the room, dragging a gagged Amanda Porter along who was struggling against her while she was holding her captive in her grasp.

This did not escape Jack and Nolan's attention as they whipped their heads towards the blonde woman who wiggled and writhed with her hands tied securely behind her back as Roxanne continued to push her forward from behind, most likely concealing a weapon that forced Amanda to comply with whatever direction she was steered in.

"Amanda!" Jack cried out in trepidation first before Nolan could.

"Ooh! How'd you manage to catch the missus?" Devin smiled with curiosity as he folded his arms, his brother glaring as he realized that the woman was the same one who set him up the other night and left him under the pretense that he got laid, in which he never did…

"You know me. I have my ways." Roxanne grinned deviously, fishing a dagger out of her belt pocket while keeping her grip on Amanda as she grunted and visibly paled at the sight of the weapon.

While trying to unsuccessfully push away the overwhelming dread he felt, Jack turned his eyes towards Nolan's who was also sharing the same thought he had: that maybe Amanda had an overall plan to get out of this situation and that her current predicament was simply a darker scenery for the ploy she had crafted. But once Jack's eyes locked onto Amanda's anxious, angry, and desperate ones, he discovered something in them that he hadn't seen in a while.

Fear and hopelessness.

This was confirmed as her eyes reflected vulnerability and gleamed with oncoming tears, making her ultimately clench her eyes shut to suppress them, turning her gaze away from his.

As if she was saying _"I love you"_ and _"I'm sorry I failed you"_ at the same time…For the last time…

Jack then knew his wife was genuinely terrified, which in turn, terrified him and caused him to react as he violently launched forward once more, a sense of rage and protectiveness consuming him entirely.

"L-Let her go! **DAMNIT LET HER GO!"**

The Becker brothers started to chortle as Roxanne raised an eyebrow at Jack in amusement and brought the dagger closer towards his wife's neck teasingly until she eventually dragged it ever so slightly and slowly against her delicate skin, causing Amanda to cry out as she flailed against Roxanne once more.

Once Jack and Nolan caught sight of the thin line of blood that was induced from the cut, it was safe to say, they officially lost it. Especially Jack as he practically hollered at the top of his lungs, his sore eyes blurring with tears along with his wrists being long bruised and bleeding from the long chains as he lurched forward desperately again.

"No…N-no-no-no-no-god-NO! **NO! AMANDA! GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY WIFE! I'LL KILL YOU I SWEAR TO GOD-IF YOU DON'T LET HER GO! LET HER GO! LET GO OF HER! DAMNIT!"**

" **STOP! NO! AMANDA! NO! OH GO- PLEASE! N-NO! AMS!"**

The Becker brothers' chortles grew into all-out bellowing laughter as they reveled in the sounds of their enemies being tortured in their heart wrenching howls, threats, and cries mixing together fueling the brothers' hunger for more violence.

"Oh this is just too beautiful! Finish this Roxy please!" Devin grinned eagerly, leaning against his equally sadistic brother as the entire gang failed to contain their joy.

"With pleasure…" Roxy smirked reeling her hand back as if ready to aim the dagger straight into Amanda's stomach before crying out, **"NOW AMANDA!"**

Amanda then immediately ripped off the gag on her mouth and spun out of Roxanne's grasp with the pistol Roxanne covertly slipped into her hands earlier while she was inflicting the small cut on her neck as a distraction. Amanda then aimed the gun and shot at the Becker brothers' kneecaps, immediately sending them to the ground writhing and howling in pain. Before any of the gang members could recover from the shock of the abrupt attack on their leaders, another series of bullets rang out from Roxanne's rifle that she pulled out as she started to launch an all-out attack, putting anyone who tried anything permanently out of commission. In the meantime, Amanda steered clear of the attack and ran straight for her husband and Nolan.

"Amy catch!" Roxanne called out, throwing her the set of keys needed to free her loved ones.

Amanda immediately caught the set of keys and unlocked the chains from Nolan since she was closer to him first. Though he was still in shock and tried to wrap his head around what just happened, he seemed the most stable out of the two for the moment to make a move. "Nolan, help me get Jack!" She demanded in a haste, knowing that Jack was still in a state of shock to make any kind of move. Amanda quickly loosened the bonds off of her husband, tempted to take him into her arms and not let go for a long time until his safety and wellbeing would be confirmed as a surety after everything that transpired and vice-versa for him.

But there was obviously no time for that.

Time was of the essence.

However, as Jack continued to stare wide-eyed in a frozen state of shock, shaking almost violently, Amanda knew she had to reassure him somehow. She grasped his shoulders tenderly yet firmly before bringing him into her arms, desperate to provide solace as she reassured her safety in soft, hasty, yet loving whispers into his ear. _"It's okay Jack...I'm here. I'm okay. I'm okay Honey…You're-you're okay…We-we're okay…"_

If she had to be honest, she needed it just as badly as he did.

She felt his battered form finally stop shaking as his arms secured and tightened around her firmly, already letting her know that they weren't releasing anytime soon.

But there was obviously no time for that.

Time was of the essence.

She managed to break away from him, grasping his shoulders once more. "Jack I need you to get up and go with us. We've got to get out of here." She directed softly yet firmly.

"B-but h-how-?" Jack finally managed to stutter. Once he was reassured that his wife was okay, he was now trying to understand and catch up with what had just happened.

"-I'll explain everything later but we have to go **now**!" She hasted desperately, her eyes firm yet pleading as she urged both men to get up and follow her. Once they found their legs, the men ran after Amanda who was already ahead of them, making turns left and right throughout the warehouse until she reached the destination of an abandoned yet still stable and functional room and shut the door, locking them inside.

They were all safe for the moment.

Everything went according to plan.

* * *

 **Flashback to a few hours earlier…**

" _We'll be approaching the main headquarters at the warehouse soon. Like I said, everything's got to go according to the plan or it won't work." Roxanne reiterated her earlier statement as she continued to drive along the highway._

" _I understand." Amanda nodded, determination set in her steel gaze as she looked out the window._

" _You seem like you've got a pretty good handle on staying calm in the face of danger."_

" _I actively trained myself to be. You don't manage to control stressful situations by letting emotions get the better of you. I learned that many times the hard way." Amanda replied, not breaking her gaze._

" _And…you still are. So it seems?" Roxanne inquired while raising an eyebrow._

 _Amanda remained silent._

" _Well…fortunately for you, losing control of emotions might be preferable in this case. Like I also said earlier…I have no doubt that your hubby's not faring so well right now, neither is your techno-geeky friend."_

 _Roxanne continued, ignoring Amanda's glare of irritation at the annoying nicknames she gave for her loved ones. "That being said, the good news is that they aren't dead yet. Not yet. That'd be too easy for the Becker brothers; Devin especially since he's quite the sadist. I'm sure you know what that means?"_

" _The type that enjoys inflicting pain on others and seeing them hurt. I'm aware of that. I'm not stupid!" Amanda snapped at her. Seeing Roxane's eyebrows go up as she blinked, she sighed. "Sorry…Yes, I know what a sadist is."_

" _Well, take the definition as nothing less than literal. 'Cause when I say that these guys get off on people's pain, fears, and torture, I mean they literally enjoy every moment! They're sick individuals that won't stop until their victims take their last dying breaths, usually not peaceful ones…"_

" _-What's your point?" Amanda raised an eyebrow, wanting to get to the matter at hand instead of thinking of how her beloved and best friend were at the mercy of such monsters._

" _They're going to get at both of them…Mainly going for…No, especially going for Jack."_

"…"

" _They're going to keep pushing until they tear him apart from the inside-out, starting with the most valuable sources that matter the most to him…He's got a kid doesn't he? I mean…besides the one you're carrying now?"_

"… _Carl…" Amanda's eyes widened in horror for her stepson. "We can't let them!" She glared at Roxanne in warning._

" _We won't. But they will try. We'll intercept them before that happens though." Roxanne reassured her._

" _How?" Amanda asked._

" _We'll offer Becker a more immediate offer to satisfy his cravings in the meantime. You." Roxanne smirked as Amanda blinked with suspicion as a response._

" _As I've said before, I don't know much about your husband, but from what I've read up on him, he's got it_ _ **real**_ _bad for you…Seems like it's always been that way for quite a while. Imagine how it would feel if the love of his life was in imminent and life-threatening danger with him helpless to do anything about it. Not that I'm sure he'd be unfamiliar with such a feeling due to what happened to his first wife, but I can't imagine how much it would really, seriously devastate him now officially if he lost_ _ **you**_ _. But that in turn, would please the Becker sickos. And in those moments of their pleasures in reveling, they won't be paying attention to what goes on around them, which will give us the right moment to strike accordingly." Roxanne explained._

 _Amanda nodded. "Alright, then how do you propose we go about this?"_

" _Well, like I said, yet_ _ **again**_ _, I have a plan. But since apparently you're not going to cut me any slack in executing it the way it_ _ **needs**_ _to be, I might as well tell you. Only thing is once I do, it's gonna ruin the natural essence of how it's_ _ **supposed**_ _to go down which in turn, could cause suspicion and ruin_ _ **everything**_ _…"_

" _-Just tell me." Amanda stated dryly, cutting her off._

"… _In order to make it look like you're the victim in this situation, you have to actually…_ _ **be**_ _the victim."_

" _And…?"_

" _And exactly that! Keyword, you have to_ _ **be**_ _the victim…not_ _ **act**_ _like the victim. Your fear and reaction has to be_ _ **genuine**_ _. And since you're most likely the type to barely even bat an eyelash when in distress, that's going to affect the overall mood of what needs to be conveyed. It won't look right."_

 _Amanda looked down for a moment before shrugging. "Well…then I'll just have to let myself feel everything that I've been suppressing for the past few weeks in that moment when it happens…"_

" _Yeah…but you can't overdo it either. It won't be good for your kid…You got to think about all the variables here, you know?" Roxanne stated wisely._

 _Amanda nodded._

" _Which…speaking of, though it goes against my good judgement and plans…I might as well tell you what you're going to be in for. You can't afford to be surprised or caught off guard. Not in your condition."_

" _What is it? You can tell me." Amanda shifted in her seat to bring herself closer to Roxanne's._

" _In order to pull this off to make it look like you're in immediate danger…I have to_ _ **put**_ _you in immediate danger…so, yeah. Apologies in advance since it might hurt a little…" Roxanne tried to explain awkwardly._

" _Wait, what might hurt a little?" Amanda raised an eyebrow._

 _Roxanne hesitated. "…I'm uh…I'm gonna kind of have to make it look like I'm slitting your throat."_

"…"

" _It won't be anything major! Just, a nick at most, barely even that! Just something that'll bleed slightly and cause an uproar. For reactions sake you know?" Roxanne continued to explain._

"… _Whatever we have to do." Amanda sighed but finally replied._

" _You're not freaked out?"_

" _I've been through worse...Besides it's better beforehand to know that it's coming at least." Amanda replied cryptically, turning her gaze to the window once more._

 _Once they hit a red light, Roxanne took the opportunity to turn her eyes towards Amanda, touching her shoulder lightly._

" _Look, I know you still don't trust me…You have every right not to. This wasn't my initial plan. And as much as it goes against everything I've wanted for years…just let me do this for you okay? I know this will work. You can get your husband and friend to safety once it's all over. I know a spot in the warehouse you can go to beyond the basement corridors that is confined, soundproof, and has a safety lock. You might even find that room useful after everything. I mean, like it or not and believe it or not, you really have nothing to lose from what I'm offering you. Because I already solemnly swore that I would take those bastards down no matter what…But at the same time, I swear to you now Amanda, if you let me do this my way, I will do everything possible in my power to not let any harm come to you or your family. You have my word. I swear on my family and my beloved's blood…On my_ _ **baby's**_ _blood. Just let me do this for you and your kids…Please…"_

 _Amanda looked into Roxanne's dreary hazel green eyes that shined with sincerity, her own eyes softening in response before looking down, contemplating for a moment. She then took a deep breath and brought her gaze back to hers, nodding firmly._

" _Let's do this then."_

 **End Flashback.**

* * *

Once Amanda found and flipped on the light switch in the confined space, her weary eyes lightened as she saw the various medical supplies and pain killers that littered the cabinets and the large examination table in the middle of the area.

It was an infirmary room.

Amanda then remembered Roxanne's earlier statement.

" _ **You can get your husband and friend to safety once it's all over. I know a spot in the warehouse you can go to beyond the basement corridors that is confined, soundproof, and has a safety lock. You might even find that room useful after everything."**_

And found it useful she did. Amanda sighed with relief as she couldn't help but smile lightly, silently thanking Roxanne in her mind before she headed for the cabinets, instructing both men to sit on the table.

But while Amanda's mind was back to being set and focused, her husband and Nolan were not so quick to adapt.

"Okay… _Ams_ …Remember that freak-o-meter we talked about all those years back? Well, I got a new set of numbers to register on it. Instead of being at 9, I'm more like over 9,000! And Jack? Well it's safe to say that now _he's_ the one who reached infinity times infinity this time! So, to make a long statement short…WHAT THE-?!"

"-AMANDA… **WHAT THE ACTUAL FU-?! AUGH!"** Jack cut Nolan off before he could continue once all the recent events finally registered in his mind. But his rather loud protesting was cut short due to his abrupt howl of pain as he felt a burning sensation sear throughout his shoulder. His wife looked at him apologetically while removing the cloth that was lightly drenched in hydrogen peroxide from off of his arm.

"I'm sorry. If I didn't clean the wound area immediately, it would have gotten infected even worse. Luckily it was just a bullet graze…" She explained softly after blowing on her husband's shoulder and exhaling a long breath, silently reassuring herself once more that the wound wasn't anything fatal. Before she could run over to the cabinet to retrieve some bandages and much needed pain killers, she saw her husband mutter incoherently while suddenly jumping up in a panic and grabbing her by the shoulders. "My son…C-CARL! W-we have to go now! They're-they're going to go after him! **THEY'RE GOING TO GO AFTER OUR SON!"**

Amanda was quick to reassure him. "Jack! JACK! Shh…No-no-no-no they're not! Calm down! Look at me! Nothing is going to happen to Carl. He's safe. We took out the men Becker sent after him before they could even leave out the door, so our boy is safe okay? He's okay."

Once comforted by the fact that their son was safe and finally able to catch his breath, his wife's statement then hit him as he turned to her. "Wait…What do you mean _took out?_ "

"And what do you mean by _we_? Who's _we_?" Nolan added while raising his eyebrow.

Amanda hesitated before walking back to the supplies to retrieve the items needed for treating the men's various wounds. Feeling their inquisitive yet demanding glares on her from behind, she sighed and started to explain while bandaging her husband's arm. "We made it back to the warehouse in time just when Devin was making his threat to go after Carl…Once the men started to come towards our way I was ready to ambush them, but… _she_ had other ideas and killed them on the spot."

" _Again_. Who's. _We_?" Nolan stressed once more with clear exasperation at his best friend's attempt to evade his question as she gave him and her husband small plastic cups of water to down the painkiller pills they each took.

"…Roxanne Meyers." Amanda muttered.

Both men then spat took at the same time, nearly choking as they looked at Amanda with shock and disarray.

"The Becker boys' right hand, robotic, chic top flunky?!" Nolan nearly shouted.

"THE SAME BITCH WHO WAS SLICING YOUR THROAT OPEN?!" Jack shouted.

"-The same woman who was a valued student of Takeda and advertently saved our lives when she didn't have to!" Amanda retorted, raising her voice in a stern tone.

Her sudden defensive exclamation silenced the men for a second, before Nolan put both of his hands up, grasping his head as if he had a severe headache; which in a way, he did, but that didn't stop him from freaking out. "Ok, back up, rewind, and replay in slow motion here. You _cannot_ seriously be telling us that this deadly Laura Croft character is actually a _revenger_ in disguise?!"

"That's what I said. Turns out, she's after the Black mambas as well…even more than we are! Her position with them was merely a cover to take them all down for what they did to her and her family…"

Amanda then proceeded to tell them about the truth and origin of Roxanne Meyers in a paraphrased, yet detailed explanation: who she really was, all that she had lost, and what she became as a result.

* * *

 **Meanwhile back with Charlotte…**

Trying to loosen the ropes around her wrist, Charlotte bit her lip in frustration when all it resulted in was a more painful streak of rope burn against her now reddened wrists. As luck would have it, unfortunately in her self-defense lessons, Amanda had never gotten so far as to teach her how to escape being bound to a chair. Probably figuring that her little sister being held hostage twice in a lifetime, though one was admittedly orchestrated by herself, was more than enough hostage time for the youngest Clarke.

So, what _had_ Amanda taught her?

Scanning the room carefully, realizing she was only wasting her time trying to get her wrists free from sheer will and futile force, Charlotte scanned the basement room for inspiration on Plan B, spotting it, a couple anxious moments later in the form of a blue ceramic vase holding artificial flowers. The object she needed, sitting on the small wooden desk, to the rear left of her.

If she could just somehow knock that vase over, then in theory, she could use its shards to cut the ropes binding her wrists and escape.

There was only one problem…

To knock the vase over, she'd have to somehow propel herself backwards on the chair so that it knocked against the desk and made the vase wobble over. Consequently, she too would fall and crash to the ground while still tied to the chair; a prospect she was not looking forward to, already fearing the pain she knew it would cause. What was her alternative though? Because being at the mercy of Dr. Galtz when he returned, was an encounter she refused to have.

So, taking a deep breath, on the silent count of three, Charlotte dug her feet against the dark floor paneling, using the momentum to catapult herself backwards, as she pushed her back against the chair in full force. Feeling her stomach begin to clench in instinctive dread as the chair slowly fell backwards, Charlotte closed her eyes as she felt the chair knock against the desk before hitting the ground with a painful thud. The force, though knocking the wind out of her, successfully caused the vase to wobble over and crash to the ground, almost at the same time she did.

Ignoring the painful sting she felt from her head, the impact of the fall on top of the force with which Dr. Galtz had knocked her out with catching up to her aching but resilient body, Charlotte shifted herself so that her tied wrists were right beside the largest vase shard in her proximity and began to quickly, in a sawing motion, cut the ropes that bound her.

Successfully freeing her hands moments later, a state of urgency to fully escape the house was prominently on her mind as Charlotte then stood up on shaky legs, her now unbound hand flying up to her throbbing head, confirming the small trickle of blood from the cut against her forehead. Charlotte gave herself a small moment to catch her breath, the sight of the uncut rope, and empty chair despite her worn body, invoking a powerful surge of accomplishment in herself, and eliciting an even fiercer, angrier determination to see the doctor pay.

She then picked up a large shard from the ground and held it in her hand, not wanting to ascend the stairs unarmed. As Charlotte quietly opened the door and stepped out of the room, she made sure to listen out for any sounds coming from the main floor while creeping up the stairs in silence.

Upon getting to the top of the stairs, Charlotte paused for precaution, once again keeping her ears out for any noises as she peeked around the corner, sensing nothing but the reassuring evidence of Dr. Galtz's empty presence. Stepping out into the hallway accordingly, Charlotte sighed in relief at the empty house, her exhaled breath turning into a sharp little laugh, in both accomplishment and disbelief at her escape.

Dr. Galtz had underestimated her, and for that, she'd make him regret it.

Hastily walking through the main floor, with the intent to exit out of the back door for extra precaution, Charlotte halted when she saw her iPhone sitting against the kitchen counter, grabbing it quickly, while cursing at the disappearance of the papers she had found as proof of Dr. Galtz's corruption.

They had been in her hands with her phone, the moment before she'd been knocked out, but now they were nowhere to be found.

Freezing in hesitation, the opportunity of the empty house not escaping her anger-fueled mind, Charlotte's pounding head, and aching body served to remind her that presently her safety was the top priority now. And so, despite the fury bubbling inside of her, desiring to one up Dr. Galtz and take back that proof, Charlotte knew that it was not worth it to let her emotions overrule her rationale and endanger herself all over again.

With an ever determined look on her face, the fear of her being held hostage not wavering her goal, but only serving to strengthen her initial resolve, Charlotte Clarke rapidly fled the premises with the full intention of regrouping with James before somehow forcing retribution on the dirty doctor.

* * *

 **Back at the warehouse infirmary room…**

After hearing the full disclosure about Becker's right hand woman, both Jack and Nolan went quiet, silently empathizing for the so called lost Shadow legend student, Roxanne Meyers who was once known as Grace Adams.

"Omg...Just when you think nothing could be more painful than the sad tale of _thornes_ …This rises from out of the _shadows_ … _Literally_." Nolan mumbled, running a hand over his messy, sandy hair.

"'Can't imagine what that must have been like for her…" Jack muttered, shaking his head as he turned his attention to his wife; watching her look down with an absorbed expression. She eventually flinched at the slight burning sensation on her neck as her husband began to cleanse and bandage her flesh wound.

"And you? How are you feeling?" Jack asked attentively as he drew closer to her.

Amanda shook her head slightly, bringing a finger to her lips, a habit she displayed whenever she would be worried or concerned but would not vocalize such feelings. "…I don't know what to feel right now…I was the same way she was you know? So lost…so far gone…I just wish there was something I could do…"

Jack absentmindedly licked his lips, trying to tread carefully in his next statement. "I don't know if there is anything you _can_ do at this point Am…She's…she's crossed a lot of lines…"

"So have I." Amanda stated quietly yet bluntly with a hint of darkness in her tone.

Jack shook his head, hesitating once more, not wanting to point out the blatant obvious differences in her revenge tactics compared to Roxanne's: mainly at the fact that Amanda had never once committed murder. So instead, he changed the subject.

"Well, for what it's worth…I'm just glad you're okay. Whatever escape diversion you two planned, it worked…Scared the living _hell_ out of me, but…it worked nonetheless…" He muttered in an attempt to reassure her, but the comment came out more bitter than he intended.

Amanda caught on to the suppressed bitterness and distress in her husband's tone almost automatically. "I'm sorry…I know I scared you both, but it was the only way. We couldn't afford to make the danger **look** real, it had to **be** real…otherwise, it wouldn't have worked…" She explained softly putting a hand on her husband's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

Nolan sighed. "While I'm _tickled pink_ at the fact that you actually displayed true emotion while withholding your inner ninja in the face of danger yet _again_ , I'm with Jackie boy on this one…You had us _terrorized_ Amanda…We- "

" _-I thought I was going to lose you…"_ Jack whispered brokenly, finally bringing her into his arms. She immediately returned the embrace.

" _I thought likewise when they shot you I-I was…I'm just glad you're alright…"_ She whispered in the same tone, not wanting to delve into the details of how horrified she truly was.

Nolan smiled at the sight of his two best friends, relieved that they were all safe, but feeling a little awkward since he knew how they could be when they were like that, lost in their own world of solace and love in each other's arms.

Before he could tease and tell them to get a room, he felt himself suddenly captured in a huge embrace by his two best friends.

Amanda nearly giggled as she hugged Nolan joyfully. "We're so happy to know you're okay too Nols," She started, before frowning and punching his shoulder." but you better not ever scare us like that again!" She warned seriously.

"Yeah, Idiot! You really had us all worried, man!" Jack jokingly slapped Nolan upside the head with a smirk before bringing him in for a "manly" hug.

Nolan winced playfully and rolled his eyes. "As much as I'd love for this enjoyable session of abuse to continue, let's get back to the matter at hand…By any chance, did you and _Ms. Assassin's Creed_ ever come up with how exactly we're going to get out of this hellhole?"

Amanda gave Nolan a look before answering his question. "We did. There's an escape route we can take upstairs along with an elevator to get there, but it's most likely guarded. The whole idea was that once Roxanne's betrayal to the gang would become evident, Becker's group would then all assemble for backup, heading towards his direction and leaving their posts unguarded so that we can evacuate."

"Wait, are you saying that she's going to try to take on all of Becker's men by herself?" Jack asked with disbelief.

"She's planning to take on the whole _organization_ by herself. That was her goal, and the whole part of executing the plan was to make sure that we're out of the way when that happened…" Amanda replied in a grim tone.

"…How noble and badass-ish of her." Nolan mused before he clapped his hands together, heading for the door." Welp, far be it from us to get in the way of a suicidal vendetta! I say we blow this serpent crazed battlefield and- "

"-Nolan, we can't just leave her!" Amanda snapped with a glare.

"Babe…" Jack started.

Amanda kept going. "-She could die out there! No, she _will_ die out there if we don't- "

Nolan tried to speak. "-Listen, I know you feel like you owe her for her valor, but- "

"-You DON'T understand! It's so much more than that! You don't know the risks she took in doing this for us! After they took Jack away, she could have ended us right then and there or when she took us hostage, but she _chose_ to keep us both alive! We were safe! She kept **us** safe!"

"Wait who's _us_? There was someone else with you?" Jack asked with an eyebrow raised.

Amanda then froze, wanting to slap a hand over her mouth, but shut her eyes and looked away instead, cursing silently for her choice of plural words, knowing that the cat was out of the bag.

"Amanda, was there another person with you?" Jack stressed once more.

"There was…" She whispered reluctantly, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Who? Was it-is it anyone we know?" Nolan asked fearfully.

"Not yet…" Amanda muttered, feeling the pressure build.

"Ams you're not making any sense here! What do you mean _not yet_?" Jack asked with exasperation.

"Yeah if you're gonna be all cryptic and mysterious can you _please_ at least tell us _where_ this person is?" Nolan rolled his eyes.

"INSIDE OF ME!" She shouted, finally reacting from the pressure before sighing and reiterating her confession. "…The person is…growing inside of me…"

Both men were rendered completely silent, frozen in place as their eyes widened at her in absolute shock.

Amanda then turned to face her husband, vulnerability clear in her eyes as he gave her a similar look to the time when she revealed her true identity to him all those years ago, only she could tell that his reaction this time was even more stunned. "I'm pregnant."

After a moment of utter and complete silence, Jack broke it by puffing out a slight yet sheer disbelieving chuckle. "W-what?"

" _We're_ pregnant, Jack." She grasped his hand in hers, seriously yet softly rephrasing her statement.

This wasn't exactly the most glamorous way for how she wanted to tell him the big news, but there was no turning back now.

Jack shook his head, still in astonishment as he continued to chuckle and stutter in disbelief while pacing. "W-wait-w-wait n-no-no Honey, that's impossible you-you can't…but I thought you couldn't…y-you can't _get_ pregnant- "

"- _That's_ …what I thought too." Amanda closed her eyes, a grim and bitter look clear across her face as she thought about the lies she once believed. "She lied Jack…Victoria lied about my infertility."

Before the men could say anything, she continued to explain. "As you both know, after Daniel shot me on the boat and the Graysons were holding me captive in their house, Victoria delivered a letter with the report of my unfortunate infertile state. While it was supposed to be that way since I _was_ _sterilized_ , my medical records showed that the procedure wasn't that, but was a _hysterectomy_ in which all of my vital reproductive organs were removed. But that wasn't the case. After Jack took me to the hospital recently and after the doctor examined me…it was revealed that I didn't have a hysterectomy. I couldn't have, and that over time my organs healed enough to conceive in which according to the results…I did."

"O…M…G…Ams…" Nolan mumbled, staring wide eyed at his best friend who was closer to him than a sister.

"… _That's_ what you were trying to tell me back at the hotel…A-and w-why you've been so sick all this time and-a-and wanted all those bizarre foods…you're-you- "

Jack continued to trip over his words, realization and answers hitting him left and right, full of mixed emotions until he thought about all the dangers she had been in and was still in…

" Y-you shouldn't be here right now…It's not safe! W-WHY WOULD YOU PUT YOURSELF IN DANGER LIKE THAT?! Jack exclaimed aloud, alarming her. Nolan finally broke out of his state of stupor, coming to Amanda's rescue.

"JACK! CHILL OUT! She doesn't need that right now!" Nolan stated firmly, making Jack snap out of it.

"Sorry! I'm-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-I'm just- "Jack turned back towards his wife, reaching to grasp her shoulders gently as he looked at her, eyes tearing up as he nearly whispered, _"We're really going to have a baby?"_

Amanda's eyes softened at the hopefulness in her husband's glistening eyes and she felt her own start to water as she nodded at him. "According to the doctor she says I'm nearing the end of my first trimester…at 10 weeks along…"

" **10 WEEKS?!"** Jack and Nolan shouted in unison.

" _That's_ …what I said too." Amanda raised her eyebrows and smiled slightly in amusement, before reluctantly looking at her husband once more, "I hope you're not too mad at me…"

"Mad? Sweetie of course not! I'm-I'm happier than I've ever been in my entire life! You're actually pregnant…We're-we're going to have a baby! Carl's going to be a big brother! You- "Jack couldn't finish his statement as he suddenly reached forward, grasping his wife's cheeks in both of his hands before crushing his lips to hers in a passionate kiss, both of them not caring that they tasted the saltiness of their tears. Once they finally managed to pull away, Jack raised his hand to gently stroke her stomach with his thumb while touching his forehead to hers, whispering, _"You have no idea how happy you've made me…I love you so much…"._

Amanda nodded and giggled slightly as a response, letting everything hit her. _"I love you too."_

"I'd make a remark of how much you guys are making want to barf right now, but I'm too ecstatic to do so! I mean Ams! You're…you're actually, officially going to be a mommy!" Nolan grinned widely in excitement and emotion, hugging her from behind.

Amanda playfully rolled her eyes at her best friend but smiled nonetheless. Her expression then turned serious. "But like I said earlier about Roxanne, she's the one who kept us safe and promised that no harm would come to me or the baby. It was because of her plan and diversion that I was even able to rescue you two! And she didn't have to do that…The burden of the vendetta she's carrying does not allow for any distractions or setbacks in which helping me certainly was, I didn't expect it, but she chose to do so. I owe her. We all do."

Jack and Nolan looked away contemplating.

While Nolan was swayed, but still had that little shred of doubt of whether or not they should trust this new revenger, Jack had a whole new perspective about the woman who he thought caused harm to his wife but was actually keeping her and their unborn child out of true harm's way.

Jack then looked up and nodded at his wife before hardening his expression sternly. "We've got to have a full proof, thought out plan though. Things aren't like they were before Amanda. You can't afford to endanger yourself in your condition. I won't allow it. I'd be _damned_ _to hell_ if anything happens to you now. So we better think this through on how to go about this. Because if _anything_ hits the fan, you _are_ going to step back and get the hell out of harm's way. Got it?"

Amanda almost blinked at the serious strictness of her husband's tone, but nodded firmly in agreement. She and Jack then turned to Nolan, a questioning look on their faces as if asking if he was on board, waiting for his response.

Finally, after a long moment, Nolan let out a deep sigh, relenting. "Fine…But when all's said and done, don't expect me to share my red sharpie with her!"

 **To be continued…**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I know. I know. Ya'll are like "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS CRAP?! IT'S SHORT AS FUDGE! AND WE'VE BEEN WAITING ALL MONTH!" I'm aware lol. I apologize guys! Time was NOT on my side this month, and I know EXACTLY where I want this to go, but it's taking a butt load of time to write, and I was determined to get a chapter out in July, earlier than this time, but it didn't work out in my favor. Plus, my lovely partner is on a trip, but no worries! She says she is working on Charlotte's part still and the good news is that, this is an appetizer chapter, meaning that I'm still writing the next part which will be extremely long and will be coming out very soon. I mean, like in the next week or so after soon! Cause I'm determined to see this through, but we're nearing the end, so might as well drag it out and make ya'll sweat! Just like the series did right? (#I'mevil)! So hang in there for me! Special thanks goes to Karvesprincess for helping me with my other story "Infinite Vows", LG who has been a wonderful reviewer, supporter, and twitter buddy who knows her Jemily stuff like no one's business, Redtailhawkens for reviewing the prequel to this story (made my day cause she's a Jemily writer legend), and Revenge addicted and susanemily for making awesome Revenge (jemily) videos on youtube to inspire me! Please keep Jemily alive all of you! Best OTP of all time in my opinion. Okay let's get to this small little piece and let me know what you think as we go along. Sound good?**

* * *

His mind was still trying to catch up with what happened, but all rational thinking was drowned out by the agonizing pain as Devin Becker glared at the wound that tore through his kneecap, blood leaking profusely. He tuned out the howling from his brother, knowing that he was also wounded but rather than feeling concern, confusion washed over him as he noticed his beautiful second in command shooting rounds at his own agents; a fiery determination flared in her hazel green eyes along with an icy coldness that only confirmed her full intent of her actions which immediately caused him to reflect on everything that just happened.

" _ **NOW AMANDA!"**_

" _ **Amy catch!"**_

As he watched Roxanne run for cover as more reinforcements stormed in to come for his rescue as they helped escort him and his brother away, an overpowering rage consumed him as they briefly locked gazes.

This was no accident…

The hatred in her eyes was clear…undeniable…chronic even…

He and his entire organization was betrayed by the one person who he trusted more than anyone else…

And in that moment when he saw his trusted agents taken down, his security threatened, and his entire carefully crafted entity crumbling…he swore, that there would be hell to pay…

* * *

 **Back in the infirmary room…**

"Ok. So like I said before, Roxanne said that the main escape routes are located above here and that there are possible alternatives to the ground floor. Obviously we can't use the elevators since it might be guarded as I have no doubt that Becker called in reinforcements. But in the little time that I've been here, I noticed that the warehouse has a ventilation system large enough to pass through. If we can just locate it in this area- "

"-No." Jack cut in while giving his wife a serious look.

She immediately glared at him with annoyance. "Jack."

"-You know why it's a bad idea." He stated.

"Jack. I'm pregnant. Not crippled nor incapacitated. And I'm not a little girl. You know I can handle myself! And with the convenience that this opportunity offers right now, we can't afford not to- "

"-Uh actually, I gotta side with Jackie boy on this one Ams…" Nolan cut in with a raised finger, making both of his friends look at him in response, demanding an explanation. "Look, despite the fact that I respect and believe in your flawless and slightly abnormal savvy ninja skills, even to the point where once upon a time after a certain _incident_ , before my good ol' _'Southpaw'_ days…that I might or might not have attempted to learn all the necessary ropes of your _nindo_ , so to speak. And after watching nearly every action escape scene in the movies, I learned things and questioned them accordingly; specifically, vent crawling in particular and the ducting design thereof that tend to narrow and or bend thus forcing you out and risking exposure and injury, not to mention that ventilation shafts are usually located at a rather steep height, has weak areas that wait for you to fall through to plummet to certain death from 30 or more feet, oh, and did I mention the very possible chances of laceration from the sheet metal?"

Amanda raised an eyebrow at Nolan as her husband's eyes widened in horror at their best friend's explanation. Nolan shrugged and continued. "Normally for you these conditions would be no big deal but seeing how you've got extra _company_ to worry about…I just think it'd be best to- "

"-We. Need. To. Come. Up. With. A. Better. Plan." Jack nearly demanded his wife in a serious tone. As he turned his stern yet worried blue eyes towards her.

She threw her hands up and sighed. "Fine. See if you guys can do any better then. Because as far as we know, all the exits have been sealed off and are manned and we don't exactly have any means of defense in here, and who knows what's happening to Roxanne right now while we're just standing here doing-!" she paused her rant as her face dropped with concern.

Jack picked up on her mood instantly and rubbed her shoulder in comfort while trying to reassure her. "We'll find a way to get to her Hon…But you need to take it easy. Think about the baby."

"I am…and I'm also thinking about us, and Carl, and Charlotte, and the others…we-" She looked down shaking her head. _"We just need to get out of here."_ She stressed.

They all went quiet for a moment, contemplating until Jack finally broke it. "If the exits Roxanne mentioned are all guarded, it would help to know exactly _how many_ goons we're dealing with…"

"Yeah, but if you've noticed Jack, we're not exactly in the best shape to go out and play 'peek-a-boo' at the moment…" Nolan deadpanned, grabbing another bottle of pain pills from the cabinet.

Jack shook his head. "Maybe you two aren't…but I can- "

"-No." It was Amanda's turn to cut in and give her husband a serious look.

"Come on. You know as well as I do that scoping the area would give us an advantage here." Jack retorted seriously.

Nolan nearly rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to face palm as he sensed that a petty argument was about to erupt between the couple. As he turned his attention elsewhere, his eyes widened at something and he immediately tried to get his friends' attention. "Uh guys?"

"You just got shot!" Amanda exclaimed at her husband, not hearing Nolan.

"It was just a graze! Like you said! I doubt it's even that deep. I mean it stings like hell, yeah, but the disinfecting and wrapping did the trick to prevent further infection. It'll probably need a few stitches at most, but the point is, I can still move it around just fine." Jack explained, moving his sore, bandaged arm around for emphasis, holding in the urge to hiss at the pain as to prove his point.

"Guys…" Nolan tried once more.

"I don't care. It's too risky and- "Amanda insisted, shaking her head at the thought.

"-I thought we discussed this and agreed that we were going to trust each other no matter what- "Jack narrowed his eyes at her.

"-Don't play that card. You know very damn well that it was never a trust issue in the first place and what the real problem is!" Amanda shot back.

"GUYS!"

" **WHAT IS IT NOLAN?!"** Jack and Amanda whipped their heads to Nolan, nearly shouting in unison as they were broken out of their heated argument.

"Whenever you two lovebirds are done winning an award for the 'best arguing like an old married couple' category, I found something over here worth checking out." Nolan stated seriously, his tone sounding a little distracted.

Jack and Amanda rushed over to their friend who was now seated at a small table in the corner of the room, the sounds of fast typing broke the embarrassing silence that filled the room once the couple stopped their argument. "A computer?" Jack asked in slight disbelief, yet his eyes lit with newfound hope.

"Correction. A computer…that belongs to the Black Mambas, which most likely holds oodles of useful information, secrets, and maybe even a security system that is most likely un-hackable…but…that _I_ just gained accessed to. _Naturally_." Nolan explained with a smug smile of accomplishment as he finished typing.

"Way to go man!" Jack smiled, clapping a hand on Nolan's shoulder.

"Nice Nols!" Amanda smiled as well, before her face turned completely serious as she viewed the screen. "There's got to be some answers in here. Evidence, plans, specs, anything we can use to incriminate these bastards."

"-Or find our way out of here." Jack added, stressing the importance of their escape.

"I'll do you one better! Looks like all the juicy stuff is locked away in these concealed files which most likely, I reiterate, are un-hackable. BUT good news, they've got Wi-Fi! Weak as it is since this _is_ a basement…But take my semi-damaged with a screen cracked phone which just so happens to be connected to a remaining Nolcorp satellite I had just in case before my company got shot to hell, and that I use on occasions, don't ask, and voila- we've got a virtual hot spot that I can do a little tinkering in at the moment." Nolan explained while taking his semi-damaged phone out of his pocket and examining wires from the computer to connect the phone.

"Is there any way we can contact the others?" Amanda asked almost desperately.

"Already did. 'Gave Javier full access to piggyback our signal and send help accordingly…but…hold on something's wrong here…" Nolan narrowed his eyes as they strained to view the information he brought up on his cracked I-phone.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"Javier's saying that all distress calls placed on our location aren't reaching the boys in blue as they should…or the FBI or…any of the higher-up justice guys for that matter. It's like they're being redirected…"

"Maybe because they are. I wouldn't doubt it if these snakes had dirty guys on the inside to cover all of their asses. It's like Malcom Black all over again." Jack folded his arms bitterly.

"Makes sense seeing as how the only way Roxanne could find evidence against them was to get close enough to accumulate all of it herself by being on the scene every time something happened. Question is, is there any way you can possibly override them?" Amanda looked at Nolan.

"Working on it. But not gonna' lie here, it's gonna' take some time. Especially since these guys were smart enough to not only implant corrupt agents, but corrupt agents with serious tech logic skills at that." Nolan admitted morosely, glaring bitterly at that hidden mockery message that popped on his phone after another failed attempt blared on the cracked screen.

Before Amanda could sigh or look at Nolan with concern at his dejected tone, she felt his hand grasp hers firmly before he continued. "But Ams, I'm gonna try. No, not try, _succeed_. And I _will_ find a way to get you, Jack, myself, and my future niece and or nephew out of here. You have my word on that. I won't let you down. Not this time."

Amanda's brown eyes softened with appreciation at Nolan's determined blue gaze before a smug smirk graced her lips. "…And?"

Nolan rolled his eyes and sighed hopelessly, waving her off. "Yeah, yeah, _and,_ I'll try to find a way to help your _cray cray_ , revenger killer friend too…But remember. I meant that I said. Hashtag no sharpie sharing."

Amanda smirked in reply before hugging him briefly and pecking his cheek. "You're the best Nolan." She turned to Jack only to notice his distracted state as he stared at the computer screen. Before she could ask if he was alright, he pointed on the screen to a specific icon. "Wait, Nolan what's that?"

"Hm? Oh! Yeah, forgot to mention, turns out they actually really do have a security system that maps out this entire warehouse. Who knew it'd be at my fingertips right now?" Nolan replied with a smirk.

"This means we can find all the nearest exit routes to finally get out of here and get help!" Jack exclaimed.

"That's true but the problem still remains. Look at the camera footage. More agents just arrived. Looks like they're beefing up the security near all the exits which means that there's still a blockage and Roxanne's in serious danger." Amanda pointed out in a matter-of-factly tone laced with concern.

"Well…it doesn't look like there's that many right now. It's not like we can't take them." Jack tried to reason.

Nolan shook his head. "Hm wouldn't be too sure about that, since they can call their own cavalry for backup on a dime. And who knows what weapons they could be packing." They watched Beckers' men on the screen come out a certain room loaded with guns and gave them to the men guarding the doors.

Jack pointed to the screen again, as if Nolan's comment didn't faze him. "Look there, where those guys just came out. It's gotta' be a weapons storage room and it's not too far from us! If we can just- "

"-It's not worth the risk, Jack. Not yet. Once we come up with our own defense system or something we can use to hold our own until we can make a move, we can go from there." Amanda sighed, shaking her head while muttering bitterly. "Trust me, I hate waiting this out. If it was up to me I'd take each one of those goons down in a second, probably would have done it by now, but-"

"-You can't, and you're not going to. It's too dangerous for you Amanda." Jack stated seriously.

"Thanks for reminding me." She deadpanned.

Jack's eyes softened as he placed his hands on her waist, pulling her closer to him. "I'm not saying you're helpless. I know what you can do, we both do. But- "

Amanda put her hand up. "You don't have to explain…I know. I can't put our baby at risk like that and I won't." Amanda replied softly, putting a hand to his cheek, before looking down. "But that doesn't change the fact that something's still got to be done if we want to escape…"

"So…are all the doors programmed on here by that system?" Jack asked Nolan.

"Pretty much." Nolan replied.

"So there's a chance it can be _re-programmed_ right?" Jack asked again.

"It's not only possible, but pretty easy seeing as how it's password protected, which can always be changed."

"Do you have access to change it for all the doors? Including this one?"

"…I can...if need be…why all the questions Jackie boy?" Nolan asked curiously as he and Amanda turned to look at Jack with confusion.

Jack shrugged lightly. "I'm just trying to trying to see if there was anything we could use at our disposal or for an advantage. Knowing whether or not we could override the security system for the doors seemed like a good way to do that." He replied honestly, satisfying their curiosity as they turned back towards the computer screen. Jack went silent for a moment, contemplating before he nudged his wife. "Hey Babe, since Nolan's working on the connections in here and using it in our favor, think maybe we can contact Charlotte and the others again?"

"I guess that'd be a good idea. I never got to hear what she had to say…" Amanda muttered, searching her pockets for her phone.

"I think you left it over there on the table." Jack turned to Nolan. "Hey bud, could you help her out for a moment? She might need you to set up the connection and I need to change the bandaging on my arm."

"Hm? Oh yeah, sure thing." Nolan replied without a second thought as he and Amanda went over to the other side of the room, not seeing Jack lean over the computer.

* * *

Not even ten minutes later, before Amanda could complain that she got Charlotte's voicemail again, both her and Nolan didn't have the time to blink as they watched Jack suddenly rush out of the infirmary room, and heard the door make a distinct click and beeping sound. Amanda rushed to open the door in an attempt to go after her husband, Nolan hot on her heels, only to find that the door was completely locked. Tried as they might to open it, the door wouldn't budge. They were trapped inside.

Jack had locked them inside the infirmary, while he on the other hand, was out in the open.

Out of the safety zone…

"JACK?! WHAT THE HELL?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! LET US OUT!" Amanda shouted from inside as she and Nolan pounded on the door.

" _ **I'm sorry! But the only way we're going to be able to make it to the exit routes is if we can get through to them! It's not that heavily guarded yet, so I've got to scope out what I can and make it easier for us to escape! I'm gonna also see what other weapons we can get to have on us to increase our chances of defense since the weapon storage room is nearby! It's the only way this can get done without putting you guys in danger!"**_ She heard Jack's voice reply from the other side.

"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! IT'S TOO RISKY! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS JACK! I CAN'T LET YOU DO THIS! I WON'T!" Amanda shouted adamantly.

" _ **Listen to me. You trust me right?"**_ His calm voice asked.

"YOU KNOW I DO! IT'S THE SITUATION THAT I DON'T TRUST! I CAN'T-!" Amanda sighed shakenly, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice as she felt herself choke up. "…I can't lose you! Damn it, Jack I _can't_!" She pounded harshly on the door again.

"… _ **Honey, I need you to trust me that I can do this. I know I can handle it. And I'll come back to you as soon as I get this done. I swear. You're not gonna lose me. You can't. I'm gonna be a dad again after all. 'Can't miss out on that."**_

"Jack…"

" _ **Don't worry okay? Hey…I love you."**_

"…I love you too…"

" _ **Meantime, you guys keep trying to get in touch with Charlotte and the others! I'll be back as soon as possible. Nolan! Watch my wife. I'll try not to be too long!"**_

"YOU'RE PUTTING ME ON BABYSITTER DUTY WHILE PUTTING YOURSELF IN DANGER?! YOU _CANNOT_ BE SERIOUS JACK!" Nolan cried from inside.

" _ **I'm dead serious. There's no time to lose. I'll be fine and I'll be back! Trust me!"**_

There was complete silence for a long moment, until Nolan broke it with a sad and shaky sigh, resigning to Jack's decision, before nearly whispering. "…Be careful Jack…"

Jack nodded, even though he knew they couldn't see him and carefully started to walk the halls, grasping the large crowbar that he found discarded near tools on the other side of the infirmary room earlier, tighter in his hands as a dead set, determination fueled by the resolve to protect his loved ones; his best friend, his wife, his son, and his unborn child, caused an adamant expression similar to the one his wife used to wear constantly to be clear across his face.

"Alright, time to end this for good..."

 **To be continued…**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Guess what it's time for? That's right! I hope this makes up for the short chapter from last time! GIVE ME LONG REVIEWS! Sorry, I mean…Enjoy.**

* * *

Javier Salgado continued to type away on Nolan's desktop, determined to figure out the blockage in the justice system that was preventing Nolan and the others from getting needed aid, but to no avail. He just couldn't crack the code. He grunted with frustration and pounded his fist on the desk. Once he collected himself, he received a message from Nolan saying that he was taking care of the issue himself. He let out a loud sigh, finding comfort in that fact. If anyone could spot and take out hidden hackers it was his former mentor. But if he had to be honest, he was just happy he found him; or rather that Nolan was able to find _him_ however the hell he did it. Now the question remained, whether he should let Nolan's so called "not anything more than just a friend/ wonder twin" Louise in on the "good" news or not.

His thoughts were interrupted by a giant tablespoon covered in chocolate that suddenly invaded his mouth.

"Taste that for me Sugar, is it too sweet? Do I need more vanilla? I need more vanilla don't I? Dagnabbit! I knew I was forgetin' somethin' at the store this morning!" Louise rushed in a sentence, as she rushed back into the kitchen and opened nearly all the cupboards in an attempt to find a hidden stash of vanilla.

"No, what you need to do is chill out lil' Mami! I mean my god! What are you trying to do? Start your own bakery in here?!" Javier exclaimed to her, as he removed the spoon from his mouth and turned around in the computer chair to see the many scrumptious pies, cakes, cookies, and pastries that were scattered all over the dining room table and counters.

"Well, excuse me, but for your information, when I get stressed, I bake! It's just a well-known fact about me! I can't help it! It's all I can do to keep from goin' cuckoo!" Louise glared as she took a whisk and stirred furiously into a mixing bowl. She nearly slammed it back onto the counter and ran a hand through her red curls, looking perplexed. "It's been weeks and not a damn word from Nolan or Amanda and them…I'm worried sick! Shoot, I'm about to damn well pluck all my hair out from all this pressure! Not that I'd be surprised if it all turned gray anyways!" She scoffed.

Javier hesitated, running a hand over his neck, "Look, I'm sure Nolan wouldn't want you worrying like thi- "

"-Oh don't give me that pish posh rubbish bull! I'm sure he wouldn't want to be trapped like a dern rabid animal either, but he is! And I hate not bein' able to do a damn thing about it!" Louise grumbled.

"Well…have you been able to get a hold of that…er…other guy? John was his name?" Javier tried once more.

"Nope. He's gone more silent than a cricket near a bull frog on a lily pad." Louise shook her head, glaring at her phone as she tried John's number again. She then took a shaky breath and tried to smile. "You know what we need, buttery biscuits. That's it! I'll just crank up the oven again and- "

Javier shot up out of the chair. "-NO! I-I mean-listen; y-you've done a lot…pretty much baked everything short of a tres leches for god's sake…" Javier mumbled but shook his head to continue to reassure her. "What if I told you that maybe I could find this John friend of yours?"

"Well that'd be just plain impossible! Johnie-John's more difficult to find than a broken needle in a stack of hay piles…besides, you don't even know him, and he never answers his phone for strangers." Louise explained.

"Who says I had to call his phone to find him?" Javier smirked, enjoying the challenge of the situation, before he plopped back into the chair and started typing away furiously on the computer once more. He paused in confusion as he turned to her. "Hmm…Johnathan Doe? Weird name…Nothing's coming up. You sure that's his actual name?"

Louise hesitated, not wanting to reveal Johnathan's true identity, but knew that she would need his help if they wanted to find Nolan. Who knows what danger he could be in. And with no word from Amanda or Jack, she knew she would need the extra muscle power. Her expression turned completely serious as she sighed. "Well…There is another name you could try…Man, Johnie's gonna kill me for this…But you can't tell ANYONE about it! Understood?!"

Javier blinked, but waved a hand. "My lips are sealed. Lay it on me Chica, I'll find him in seconds."

* * *

 **Meanwhile back at the warehouse…**

Jack Porter continued to tread carefully down the basement passageway, crowbar in hand, as he neared the weapons storage room. So far, all had been pretty quiet, but he knew that was bound to change as he heard the sounds of various murmurings getting louder the more he got closer. The good news, there was a large wall that concealed his form in the middle of the hallway that he hid behind. All he needed to do was run past it and head straight for the supply room and he was home free. Only problem, even though there looked to be less than 5 men present, give or take, guarding the doors along that hallway, the numbers threatened to increase as he heard different voices from other men that stood afar off coming closer to the men that were there by the weapons storage. Taking them head on was out of the question since Jack knew he'd be ambushed the moment he stepped away from behind the wall, so he had to somehow lure them closer to him so he could take them out one by one.

All of a sudden, he overheard the men talking about meeting up in another room for a quick huddle in order to have a backup plan for extra coverage and defense. However, the slight fear and dread that was evident in their voices were not lost on Jack. Something happened that had those men losing confidence fairly quickly. Jack figured that they must've been still not over the shock of their most trusted agent and second in command turning on them on a dime.

But this was a good thing. People tended to do stupid things when they're scared. And Jack was more than determined to take advantage of their indefinite behaviors and turn things around in his favor.

All he needed was a distraction…

Luckily, he had the perfect one.

Jack then reached behind his back pocket, sighing in relief once he felt that his wallet was still intact. It was a rather stupid, silly, reach on his part, but if he learned anything from his wealthy yet stealthy wife, subtlety was everything; and in order to create the perfect distraction, only a ripple would need to be created for a ricochet effect to take place. He pulled out a crisp hundred-dollar bill and laid it on the floor away from the barrier wall so that it was visible from around the corner without risking exposure to himself as he crouched down.

Surely in their current state of suppressed panic and uncertainty, they would make sure to be aware of all their surroundings and hopefully be caught off guard by the little unexpected eye candy on the ground.

Jack watched as he saw one of the men pause and look towards the wall he hid behind, the man's eyes then widened as he glanced down at the floor.

" _ **HEY! Where do you think you're going?! We need to hurry up and see what the hell our orders are going to be now!"**_ One of the men hissed.

" _ **Keep your skirt on and go on ahead. I'll catch up in a minute, I…uh just remembered I dropped somethin'."**_ The man who paused snapped, trying to keep his tone harsh and confident, determined to not let anyone be suspicious of his behavior, since they were all on the fritz, nor be curious of finding the little Benjamin Franklin he just found on the ground.

The other man just glared and rolled his eyes, not having time to deal with distractions and caught up with the rest of the men as they continued down the hall.

Jack's eyes then narrowed as he watched the man walk towards his direction.

The man chortled as he murmured, "Oh hell yes, come to papa! You are just what I need right now little- **AH**!"

The man couldn't finish his sentence as something hard collided with the back of his head, knocking him out instantly. Jack quickly dragged the now unconscious man further behind the wall before stripping him of his mafia uniform. Although he made sure not to use the sharp part of the crowbar which would cause instant death to the man, he was reassured by the specific blow he inflicted that the man wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, which gave him the perfect opportunity to be in disguise and take his weapon, which was a small pistol that was unfortunately already limited on ammunition, but would do for now. Jack doubted there would be anyone curious about the sudden disturbance, as there were a variety sounds of yells and gunshots firing in the background from Roxanne's ambush anyways, but he couldn't be too careful. So, he made haste to fit into what he could of the rather large sized uniform, and tried to run towards the weapon's storage room…Only to pause as one of Becker's men from earlier ran back, no doubt to investigate the disturbance of his greedy co-worker from earlier.

"Hey moron! What do you think you're-Wait a minute-You're not- **GAH!** "

As soon as Jack noticed the realization in the man's eyes that he was not his fellow co-worker, but an intruder, he was contemplating on how to take down the man without any lethal damage, remembering his training as a former cop on how the law would be quick to screw him over if he did anything rash, not to mention his own _shooting-to-kill_ experience, but once the man was quick to draw and aim his gun at Jack, and Jack thought about all that was at stake, he knew he had no choice and immediately fired his "warning" shots into the man's kneecaps, sending him down instantly, and kicked the gun away from him. Before Jack could recover, however, more men showed up and attempted to aim their weapons at him, but Jack was ready and sent them all down to the ground with the same "warning" shots. Once all 5 of the men from earlier were on the floor, writhing howling, and demanding for backup as the blood from their wounds stained the ground, Jack rushed into the storage room as his eyes scanned for extra weapons he would need. Seeing as how he was on borrowed time since the cavalry would no doubt be showing up at any moment, he didn't have time to grab the discarded weapons from the bleeding men, and instead, hoped that he could grab more useful artillery from the supply room since his current weapon was running dangerously low on bullets.

His blue eyes then widened in horror and disbelief as he took in the confined yet enlarged space and suddenly realized what it was that made Becker's men go into an abrupt panic, as the feeling now struck him to his core as well and he cursed aloud as a result.

The whole room was completely empty.

* * *

 **Meanwhile in the warehouse infirmary room…**

"Well?! Anything?!" Amanda asked Nolan as he continued to type on the computer, though it was more like a demand as she stopped pacing. She had long ago stopped trying to pry, pick, and tear down the door as it might as well have been made out of steel or metal…which it probably was. It was pretty clear that unless they could figure out the correct code of access, escape was futile.

But that didn't stop her from trying anyways.

Which then resulted in Nolan doing everything in his power to prevent her from hurting herself and the baby since her rampage already resulted in raw, bruised, nearly bleeding hands, as well as physical, and mental exhaustion and desperation to the point where she was willing to find anything in the room to create her own solutions and tools for dealing with the metal barrier that kept her away from her husband. Luckily, pulling the "baby" card on Amanda was enough to break through her stubbornness and deter her from causing any more damage. Instead, she paced the floors endlessly while demanding and insisting that they'd figure out the code Jack reset for the doors.

Hearing her insistent demand/plea just made Nolan sigh as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Though he wasn't heartless at Amanda's pleas, and was actually near the same level of concern as she was for Jack's safety, asking the same question over and over after giving the same answer over and over along with the harsh demands to "try harder" were not going to get them anywhere.

His patience was running a tad bit thin as a result…

But that didn't stop her from asking again anyways.

"Ams. If I didn't find out anything new from the last time you've asked, which was exactly mm…3 seconds ago, what exactly makes you think it'd be any different 2 seconds later?!" Nolan said through clenched teeth, as he tried to stay focused on his typing, but found it hard as Amanda kept pacing only to stop and rush over to him with the same question again.

"That's because you're not trying hard enough! Come on! Keep at it! Crack the code!" Amanda demanded with a glare.

At this point, he was offended. But despite his feelings being pierced like thorns with her sharp tongue, he decided to keep silent, trying to disregard the fact that she was acting like the cold, callous person she was when she threatened to crush his windpipe all those years ago. After all, riling up Amanda Porter née Clarke, was never a smart thing to do, much more so now since she's with child. But again, his patience was running thin with her as she continued to pester him. Being the good BFF he was, however, he tried to reassure her once more.

"Ams…I can assure you with the utmost certainty that exists in the world that I am trying my absolute best right no- "

"-Don't give me that crap!" Amanda was quick to snap in response before he could finish, "If you were doing your _absolute_ best, we wouldn't be here right now, now would we Nolan? No! I'd be with the father of my child who's in danger at the moment because you're messing around! So you need to- "

" **-NO AMANDA! WHAT** _ **YOU**_ **NEED TO DO IS SIT DOWN SOMEWHERE AND SERIOUSLY CTFO!"** Nolan roared, clearly having had enough and rendering her completely silent as a result. Amanda blinked at his outburst, ready to fire back a response once she figured out Nolan's acronym, but paused as she was snapped back into the reality of how she was acting. She then sighed loudly and sat down on the examination table, folding her arms, but shaking her head in remorse.

There was a tense yet complete silence for a moment as Nolan reluctantly began typing once more.

"I'm sorry…" Amanda muttered.

Nolan kept silent for a moment, before sighing as he muttered softly, "…Don't worry about it."

Amanda let out a small, dark, humorless chuckle as she shrugged. "But that's just it. That's all I've been doing lately… _Worrying_. And I'm _sick_ of it. I _hate_ the fact that Jack's out there all on his own and I'm just stuck here, like there's _nothing_ I can do about it." She shook her head, fighting the stinging sensation that threatened her eyes as she looked up to her best friend and whispered helplessly. _"What can I do Nolan?"_

Nolan looked at her and gave a light yet honest shrug. "Well…You could just…trust your hubby like he said and just believe that he's got it under control and will come back. Like he said. He promised after all, and I know he only did this to protect you."

"I don't need- "

"-Yes. You do Ams. You may think that you don't, mainly because that's all you've been doing all your life in your one man's war being a one-man circus…but those days are gone. You're not alone anymore. Of course you have me. You always have…and most importantly, you have Jack. And like it or not, we're not going to let _anything_ happen to you. And it's not like you have anyone but you to worry about anymore either. You have a family now Ams. You have a son that depends on you and his father and now…a child of your very own from yours and Jack's creation that needs to be, no, _**mus**_ _t_ , be protected at all costs. And Jack and I know this. After everything you've done to protect the people you love…It's your turn for your loved ones to return the favor. So, just let them."

Amanda looked down, taking in his words, nodding at the truth in them, knowing he was right. However, an unsettled expression still remained on her face. "I know what you're saying is right Nols…It's just…Look, like I said, I love and trust my husband. I do. Don't you dare for one second think that I don't trust him or his abilities to keep me safe. But you and I both know how situations like these usually end up, and I cannot have anything happen to him. I won't. Not after everything we've been through, and definitely not after having this… _miracle_ between us happen." Amanda pointed to her stomach for emphasis, stroking it softly with the palm of her hand before continuing, "So you'll have to excuse me if I sound like a worry wart, or am desperate to be by his side. Because one of the things we agreed on was not playing the hero alone, but making sure that we protect each other; working together as a team. And even though it's best to be this way with him doing all the work, I'd be damned if I sit here and play the damsel in distress. I can't. No matter how much you both want me to. It's…it's not who I am. I want to, no, I'm _going_ to help out in any way I possibly can. So… _please_ …"

Nolan looked at her before sighing dramatically and throwing his head back, pointing in the direction behind him. "Then back to the drawing board we go then…Let's crack this code shall we?"

"You're not mad?" Amanda asked almost cautiously.

Nolan waved her off before shrugging. "No reason to be. You're you. I'd be lying to say that I wouldn't feel much more comfortable if you just sat back and relaxed in your room like a good little girl, but that was never your style. 'Sides it's not like this should be any news to me anyways. You always did have quite a track record when it came to Jackie boy: running into a just exploded building, scavenging the vast ocean, going back to a house with a lunatic assassin on the loose, sneaking into a hospital in disguise while having a bounty on your head with cops all around, and now trying to break out of the safety zone with a bunch of snake crazed killers all the while keeping your bun in the oven safe and toasty, but hey, whatever saves your Lois Lane right?" Nolan turned to her with a mischievous smile, wiggling his eyebrows.

Amanda tried to look unamused but couldn't help returning the snarky smile. "Just help me my find my husband Nolan…please and thank you of course."

" _Weell_ …since you asked so _nicely._ " Nolan winked before turning back to the computer screen.

* * *

 **Later…**

To keep her strength up, Amanda was snacking on a few non-perishable snacks that Roxanne explained were hidden in one of the cabinets when she suddenly heard an abrupt pounding sound and curse word come from Nolan. She walked over to him, concerned.

"What is it? What's wrong?" She asked Nolan.

"Oh nothing just the fact that either your hubby-bubby is now better than the 'Riddler' or I'm seriously losing my touch when it comes to figuring out passwords…" Nolan muttered, clearly frustrated.

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem, I mean can't you just hack or override the system if you can't reset it?" Amanda asked with a raised eyebrow.

"This system's not only state of the art, but also extremely complicated to where it calls for the big boss himself to reset everything for security purposes if a password is forgotten or if there are too many failed attempts…oh, and did I mention it was also un-hackable, which means I can't hack it?!" Nolan growled and shook his head.

"But I thought you hacked the system beforehand! Why is it not working now?" Amanda frowned with furrowed eyebrows.

"Before, I had a few access codes that I could manipulate since Becker was trusting me at the time to find the culprit who intercepted him. But this security system, for some reason, doesn't budge with the access codes I've been given so unless we figure out what the hell Jack put as the new password, we're officially sitting Daffys…or Donalds. Take your pick." Nolan explained with a sigh.

Amanda put a hand to her forehead, as if to stop a sudden headache and sighed loudly, cursing under her breath.

Nolan turned around to put a hand on her shoulder, grasping it softly. "But I didn't say I was going to give up Ams. I'll keep giving it my all. Besides, maybe we'll get lucky and Jackie will come prancing in the door after all, before our brains get the chance to explode from all the pressure! That'd be a win right?"

Amanda almost hated the dry chuckle that escaped her lips as she reluctantly smiled at him. "Appreciate the enthusiasm Nols…Please keep trying."

"You got it." Nolan turned back around and tried typing once more, only to frown once access was denied to him again. "Man, I just don't get it. It's not like Jack's the most complicated guy in the world! I've tried everything I could possibly think of from entering your name, to Carl's, to even his family members in Pittsburg! 'The hell could this man have put in here?!"

Amanda tossed him a protein bar. "Here, take a break. You've been at it for a while now."

"Thanks…" Nolan muttered giving her a small smile as he started chewing on his snack.

"…Do you think he's okay?" Amanda asked softly as she stared blankly at the door.

"…I think so…And you need to believe it too. He wants _you_ to be okay more than anything."

"I know…and I am…I have to be. It's what's keeping me going so far right now." Amanda nodded.

There was a brief silence before Nolan suddenly kicked his feet up on the table, and put his hands behind his head. "Let's stop talking about depressing things. Soo…what are you going to name it hmm? Hmm?" Nolan shot her a cheesy smile as he poked her stomach lightly.

Amanda tilted her head to the side, raising an eyebrow. "Okay first of all, quit making it sound like you're talking about a pet, and second, it's too early to come up with names. We don't even know what the gender is or anything like that."

"Well…what are ya hoping for?" Nolan smirked.

Amanda shrugged as she walked over to the cabinet to grab another protein bar. "Honestly…I'd be happy with whatever he or she turns out to be. I'm just still trying to wrap my head around the fact that…it's finally a possibility you know?" Amanda mused before letting out a light giggle. "You know it's funny…I remember a few months back; Carl was begging his daddy for a brother or sister. It wasn't the first time…but he was more insistent on it then, pleading for a little sister or brother from us, throwing names around for it as if it would ever become a possibility. Jack didn't like bringing up the subject much since he knew how sensitive I was about it, but they didn't know I was around them at the time so they talked about it freely. Granted they didn't come up with any names for the girl, but for the boy it was…" Amanda paused as her eyes suddenly grew as wide as saucers. She then rushed back over to the computer, abruptly shoving the chair aside with Nolan in it as she typed away on the screen.

"Ams! Hey! What gives?!" Nolan protested, clearly caught off guard from being pushed away and by her strength.

"I got it Nolan!" Amanda exclaimed.

"Got what Ams? What are you doing?" Nolan asked as he got up to watch her. " _JDP_? What the hell is- "

Before he could finish his question, he heard the beeping and clicking sound of the doors as they suddenly opened. He watched the doors in awe for a moment trying to wrap his head around what just happened, before he suddenly noticed that Amanda was already running out the door…

Without him of course…

"H-hey! WAIT UP AMS!" Nolan called to her, grumbling under his breath. "Okay. That does it! One of these days, I have got to tell my brohiem bestie to get a leash for his woman, or I SWEAR I will buy one for her myself! I mean my god, what am I, the Flounder _and_ Sebastian in this relationship?!"

He shook his head and quickly ran after her.

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

From behind a sturdy wall, littered with discarded crates, Roxanne Meyers cursed under her breath as she reloaded her gun and readied for another shooting spree. She quickly glanced at her arm and frowned at the sight of blood from the fresh gunshot wound she just received, staining the rather expensive black pinstripe pantsuit she bought a few weeks back.

"Lucky shot…" She chucked humorlessly as she applied pressure to the wound, sucked in a breath, and let out a few rounds at some nearby men, taking them down expertly from her range of fire.

"Damn. Looks like we got more guests for the party…didn't think they'd come so early though. Silly me I guess." She blew her dark brunette bangs out of her face and frowned as she watched more reinforcements from Becker's organization storm in on the battlefield. Some were removing the already wounded, but alive men and women that managed to survive Roxanne's rampage, and others were stepping over various corpses to get to Devin and Dylan Becker.

Roxanne nearly growled through clenched teeth as she watched her 'prey' escape into safety at the hands of those men, but didn't get the chance to gripe over the matter long as a series of bullets rang out from the men's' guns, penetrating the crates, as she hid deeper within, knowing that it was a demand for her to show herself.

Like hell, that was happening.

Once she found an opening weak spot in the crowd of men, she fired, putting a rather large dent in their defense.

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "What a pain these men are…Having the nerve to take what's rightfully mine. Well, two can play that game…I like games after all…" She reloaded another weapon, preparing to fire, not noticing the men's exchange as one of them escaped. Thinking it was a retreat as she glanced over at them, she continued to focus on choosing the gun that would inflict the most damage, when suddenly, she heard the sound of one of the crates that kept her hidden from the back, being roughly thrown aside, exposing her. The man who left the group of men then aimed his gun at her. Roxanne saw the promise of killing her with one shot evident in his cold eyes as her eyes widened at the situation.

" _ **ROXANNE!"**_

Before she could blink, the man was instantly on the ground writhing in pain from having his kneecaps blasted. Roxanne wasted no time in finishing the job with a quick shot to his skull, and turned to shoot the intruder, only to pause as she noticed the familiarity of his facial features despite the uniform.

"…Wait a minute…P-PORTER?! WHAT THE FU-?!"

Jack wasted no time in diving into the crates next to her before his eyes widened in horror at the corpse beside them. He was pretty sure he just disabled him, but figured by the bullet bleeding out in his head that Roxanne must have finished him off.

"Y-you just killed him?!" Jack asked in horror and disbelief.

"Well it's not like you were gonna do it!" Roxanne shrugged before her eyes hardened at him. "Now what the hell do you think you're doing here?! It's not safe!"

"No kidding! Come on!" Jack snatched up her wrist before continuing. "We gotta get out of here while we still can! I think I've found another exit, but I don't know this place as well as you do so if we hurry out now we can- "

Roxanne, snatched her wrist from out of his grasp, wincing, but bit her tongue to stop from crying out as her arm continued to bleed. Before she could protest, she heard him gasp. "Oh my god, you're hurt." He came closer to examine her arm, frowning as he noticed that the damage was more severe than when he got shot in the arm. "We're going to have to treat what we can until we can get you to a hospital."

"Will you shut up already! I'm not goin' anywhere, god!" Roxanne snapped, annoyed by his pestering.

"What the hell do you mean you're not goin' anywhere?! You can't seriously, actually believe that you'll be able to take on these goons all by yourself!" Jack hissed.

"Look it's my business!" Roxanne snapped.

"It's a death wish! That's what it is!" Jack snapped back.

"What are you even doing here anyways?! You, your wifey, and your geeky friend should be halfway across the states by now! That was kind of the whole point of the plan!" Roxanne put a hand on her hip as she glared.

"Well your plan backfired obviously. 'Cause apparently, my wife didn't want to just leave you here for dead…None of us did." Jack deadpanned, but kept sincerity in his tone.

Roxanne's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you shi-Oh my god! You can NOT be serious! This is the LAST thing I need right now!" Roxanne face palmed before sighing. "Look, I'm doing just fine without you guys thank you very much. The last thing I need is extra dead weight trying to hold me back. So scram!" Roxanne retorted, not caring if she sounded harsh.

"HEY! I don't know if you've noticed, but here's the reality of the situation. We're in the middle of nowhere, god knows where, in a lone, spacious, yet confined warehouse crawling with snakes, literally, poisonous lethal ones, along with actual deranged killers who are out for _our_ blood, _your_ head specifically since you just betrayed them after god knows how many years of working for them, and while _they've_ got unlimited resources and the advantage in numbers, _we're_ all stuck here with barely any means of defense or escape since most of them are sealed off, the elevator is broken, and THERE ARE NO WEAPONS IN THE DAMN WEAPONS STORAGE ROOM!" Jack nearly roared back.

"Oh you've noticed huh? Isn't that great? Bet the guards were scrambling like mice without cheese huh? Damn, I would've paid big money to have seen that…" Roxanne smirked.

Jack had to grab his head to prevent his sudden migraine from hitting him full-force. "You're talking like- "

"-Like I already knew the situation? Duh. Of course I did. I'm the one who cleared the room out days ahead of time with the exception of leaving some guns here and there to not look suspicious...with low ammunition but still. How else do you think I was able to switch out the dangerous stuff with less lethal weapons and smoke bombs that day we raided the hotel and took you captive? Had to switch things in my favor before the big show ya know. I just didn't plan for you guys to be _a part_ of it. Which is why I'm asking _nicely_ , that you seriously get the hell out of here and scram while you still can. This is my fight. No one else's." Roxanne explained bluntly.

Jack sighed, shaking his head. "Listen. I'm not going to pretend like I don't know why you're doing this, or blame you for it, but…what exactly do you think you have to gain here?"

Roxanne put a finger to her chin, a mocking contemplative look on her face before muttering sarcastically, "Hm…where to start, well, to put it briefly, many, many years' worth of justice."

"You mean revenge." Jack deadpanned with a glare.

Roxanne shrugged lightly. "Same shi- "

"-It's not! You may think it is, but trust me when I say there's a big difference with different endings! One deadlier than the other!" Jack cut her off.

"Oh spare me the _revenge is bad for you_ talk, I've heard it all before, waay too many times than I'd like to count; even from your so called once revenge crazed spouse, and she couldn't sway me. So don't waltz in here thinking that you can either." Roxanne waved him off while speaking in a blunt tone, before her words grew harsher and darker, a soulless anger clear in her hazel green eyes, "You have no idea what I've been through."

"I know a thing or two about loss. So I think I do actually." Jack blatantly replied, returning her glare as he folded his arms, not backing down.

Roxanne immediately scoffed. "Right, right, what with your father who died of natural causes, your wife's doggie, your first poor wifey who you _though_ t was your _current_ wifey in the first place, some BFF you were to not spot the difference but whatever, your little toy sailboat, and your baby bro who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Truly tragic. Much worse than losing your…hmm…let's see your mother, father, siblings, cat, dog, Aunts, Uncles, Grandmas, Grandpas, cousins, cousins twice removed, distant family members, and pretty much your entire family generation in one night, oh and not to mention your truest love, the only one who ever understood you and accepted you for who and what you were, and the child of whom you were going to bear from the one you loved more than anything in this goddamn world! And even…your very sanity…Oh yes. Forgive me Mr. P. You know EXACTLY how I feel right now. You know exactly how it feels to have your entire life ripped away from you! To actually be dead inside and be nothing but mere flesh and blood existing in a body, clinging on to what's left to keep the soul alive: for justice to be truly served for the ones who caused the entire mess in the first place!"

Roxanne wanted to shout, but kept her tone completely serious and blatant as if she were a robot, silently cursing at the tears that stung her eyes, as she managed to turn her sorrow into rage which fueled her determination to see the Becker organization go down in flames by her own hands. As a result, she took her anger out on the men who were a current threat to her safety in the room and expertly shot at all of them until they were forced into a retreat.

Jack at first glared at her darkly ready to lash out, feeling the scars of his soul tear open little by little by each of his loses she reiterated as if it was no big deal, but held himself as she poured out _her_ losses and the contents of _her_ darkened heart. He couldn't deny the differences in the amount of what was lost. But was there really a need to number? Loss was loss. It hurts. It damages. It happens, with nothing you can do about it. That was that. But she didn't seem to get the memo. He once thought Amanda was bad, but this woman…was a mere hollow shell…with the only life support to keep her alive being her hunger and thirst for vengeance.

"Bull. Like I said. You. Have. No. Idea. What. I've. Been. Through." She growled at him.

Jack nearly faltered but managed to stand his ground as he looked at her. "You're right. And Like _I've_ said. I'm not going to pretend like I don't know why you're doing this, nor blame you. I've been where you are believe it or not. I was going to do the unspeakable, which is something that you probably think is no big deal. But if justice is truly your endgame in this, how do you plan to get it done when all this is just going to result in nothing more than a big blood bath, most likely with yours in the mix?"

Roxanne scoffed and was about to answer, but Jack kept going. "Say you complete your so called mission and kill everyone in this joint. Say you take out the snakes and hunt them down to their very nests. What will it change?"

"Look…" Roxanne tried.

"Your family will still be dead."

"Stop." Roxanne glared.

"Your love will still be gone."

"Shut up!" She snapped.

"…Your baby won't come back again."

"I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP!" Roxanne roared, aiming her gun at him shakenly.

Jack kept his eyes on her as he swiped her armed hand away. "SO TELL ME WHAT IS THE POINT HERE?! WHERE IS THE JUSTICE THAT YOU BELIEVE WILL REDEEM YOU AND MAKE IT ALL BETTER, GRACE?!"

She hated the tears that streamed from her eyes, mixing in with her mascara as her eyes widened at the name that left his lips. She turned away from him, shaking her head. Trying to shake off all the flashbacks, the words, the scolding, the suggestions, the pleas from her past, the voices of the past, and even the present, all begging her to find another way, all begging her to do the right thing. All begging her…to let it go.

" _ **I named you Grace for a reason…"**_

" _ **You're our graceful little girl, hah, get it?"**_

" _ **Gracie's the best sister ever! But don't tell her we said that, she'll just start hugging us and stuff and spread her cooties."**_

" _ **No matter what happens in this family, all that matters in the end is your happiness…"**_

" _ **You know why you're my favorite niece? You're one of the purest people who remind me what forgiveness and hope is all about…Before I thought it was corny that your mom gave you such a name, but…I see why now…Never lose that."**_

" _ **You are the strangest girl I've ever met…but your name is intriguing. Well listen up Grace, I'm only gonna teach you this self-defense once…"**_

" _ **Here. It's one of those ridiculous friendship bracelets you've been griping about. If you are truly going down the path my father has trained you for, then…hopefully, this will help remind you of who you are so that you don't lose yourself…So that I don't lose my best friend…"**_

" _ **So Grace huh? Strangely enough, I like that way more than Roxanne…"**_

" _ **So…before I make this overly dramatic love confession, should I call ya Roxanne or Grace?"**_

" _ **Hey…future wifey, can I ask you for a favor? It's kind of important…"**_

She shook her head stubbornly, swiping at her tears. "No! I-I must avenge them. I must avenge them all. I must avenge and salvage my legacy! I must! It-it's what- "

"-What? It's what they would have wanted? How do you know that? Look, I have no doubt in my mind that your loved ones would have wanted justice for what those monsters did…But not if it meant that you would become the next loss in the end. Not if it costed you your happiness, your life…your soul…" Jack's eyes softened, as he kept the sharpness out of his tone but still remained firm.

" **HOW DARE YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN SPEAK FOR THEM?! YOU DIDN'T KNOW THEM! YOU DON'T KNOW ME! NOT YOU! NOT YOUR WIFE! NO ONE DOES! I'M NOT CALLED A SHADOW FOR NOTHING YOU KNOW! SO STOP TYRING TO FIGURE ME OUT! STOP THINKING YOU CAN SWAY ME! YOU CANNOT SPEAK FOR MY FAMILY! FOR THE BLOOD THAT WAS SPILLED FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM!"** Roxanne roared lashing out as she roughly pushed Jack away and slapped him, enraged as the voices in her head from the past grew stronger and she gripped her head as if having the worst headache in the world.

Jack ignored the stinging sensation in his face, relieved as he saw that he was getting to her before he kept going. "I know they all loved you. They had to have…And you loved them all too. That's why it hurts so much. Why it feels like you must do something to salvage what you can of their memory. But can you truly and honestly say that this is what they would have wanted for you? Not for them, but for you?"

" _ **What did you want to ask me? If it's whether or not, I'll let you catch a break for my craving runs, forget it. This kid and I are gonna need you more than ever, Tan."**_

" _ **Wouldn't dream of it dear. But hey, can I ask you something?"**_

" _ **Don't call me that. 'Makes me sound hella old."**_

" _ **Roxanne this is serious."**_

" _ **Oh…I'm sorry. What is it? Are-are you okay? Y-you're not having second thoughts on bailing out on all this are y- "**_

" _ **-NO! No I mean, of course not. I want to let this all go Roxanne. And I-I know this is hard for you, but I really believe it's for the best. Revenge is…it seems right, but in the end, it's just an addicting drug for the soul…A poison. It won't make things any different than what they are now, but worse, and…I don't want that for you. For us…for our child. I just want us all to be happy. After everything we've lost, we deserve this ya know? Don't you think so?"**_

"… _ **Of course…but, I don't get it. Is there a point to your epic speech or naw?"**_

" _ **There is…I know we got everything planned out, but if there was ever a chance things went wrong…I need you to promise me something…"**_

" _ **Things won't go wrong Tanner, we've set up everything perfectly, everything's in motion, we just have to go for it."**_

" _ **Yeah, pretty words. But for once, just pretend I'm the bad side of our yin-yang relationship and allow me to be pessimistic for a moment. In case anything goes wrong…or happens…I need you to promise me something…"**_

" _ **What?"**_

" _ **That you'll be happy. No matter how hard it is, or impossible, even if it kills you to try, just…try."**_

"… _ **I'm happy with you. It's the only time I've ever been in a long while…the only time I've ever had any peace or hope, or anything close to happiness…it's with you…and our baby…"**_

" _ **I know…but in case I- "**_

" _ **DON'T. EVEN."**_

" _ **Grace…"**_

" _ **DON'T. CALL. ME. THAT. Look…our past is forgotten. It's Roxanne now. Most likely gonna' change it again once we blow this popsicle stand."**_

" _ **Humor me then. Grace. I'm serious. If anything happens to me…I just want, no, I need you to learn to be happy again. To try your absolute best. It's selfish and cruel of me to ask this but, what I'm trying to say is…if anything happens to me, no matter what, fight to be happy again. I want you to. And the way you do that, I want you to swear that…no matter what happens…you will**_ _ **NOT**_ _ **by any means,**_ _ **avenge or get revenge for me**_ _ **."**_

Roxanne shook her head vigorously, trying to banish the memories away before looking away from Jack and shrugging. "O-of c-course th-this is what they would have wanted! Their lives were taken without them able to do a damn thing about it! I'm the only one who can fight for their honor! And that's what I'm going to d- "

"-Look me in the eye and tell me that." Jack grabbed her shoulder and turned her around to face him. "Look me in the eye and tell me with absolute certainty that this is what your loved ones would have wanted for you. If you can do that, then I swear I won't bother you again. I'll leave you to do whatever the hell it is you're gonna do and whatever happens, happens. But look me in the eye right now, and tell me that this. Is. EXACTLY. What. They. Would. Have. Wanted. For. Grace. Adams."

Roxanne felt more hot tears stream down her cheeks as she looked straight into Jack Porter's piercing blue eyes.

If they were green…it'd be just like his…

Just like Tanner's…

Her beloved's…

She could see why Amanda held on to him so much…there was a light that shined within him, determined to shine through the darkness that threatened to cloud his heart, even though he's been through so much, even more than his wife, he didn't let it though. He found a way. So did Amanda apparently…

But the question was…could she? After everything?

Could she be more than just…a shadow?

She decided her answer as she sighed and turned away from him once more. "Look…I'm sorry I hit you and kind of threatened to shoot you...And…I appreciate everything you've said and done…you and your wife…god knows why you two are wasting your precious time and life on an old dead corpse like me…"

"Don't talk about yourself like that." Jack protested.

"It's the truth. I may look like I'm nearing fabulous 50, but I've died Jack…many years ago…and even when I was revived, I was killed again. And again. If anything were to happen to me now, it'd only be a formality, officially putting me out of my misery. Cause right now, I'm doomed to feel immortal in this torture until I finish this…And finish this I shall. No matter what. It's my purpose. The only one I have left like it or not."

"Roxanne…"

"Why do you guys care so much anyways?" Roxanne raised an eyebrow in curiosity, shrugging. "You don't even know me."

"I asked myself the same question. Trust me. Especially after what I thought you did to my wife, but…after she told us the truth about you and…and what you did to save her, my son, and…my new kid on the way…and after hearing you for myself…I see what she was talking about. You've crossed a lot of lines…I don't know if or how you can come back from them, but I don't believe that you're a lost cause…I still think there's hope for you somehow. So does Amanda." Jack told her honestly.

"…So Amy finally let the cat out of the bag huh? That's good…good for her… for both of you." Roxanne smiled slightly. Jack wanted to say something, not liking how she just changed the subject but heard her sigh before looking at him and smiling sadly. "You and Amy…even that uh Ross guy…have had quite a journey. I can tell. You all deserve happiness and I hope you get it. But…it's just not in the cards for me J.P. I've accepted this. And whatever I do, it's my choice. You can't do anything about it. Not you, your wife, nobody. My story's different…I won't get to fly off into the sunset…or I guess in your case, sail away…I've accepted this. So save yourself and your family while you still can."

"…"

"So, let's see…you said the elevator's down and the exits are blocked huh? Well…I know another alternative route you can take. It's pretty easy to get there, so listen up Porter…"

"…And what about you?" Jack asked, failing to keep the sadness from reaching his eyes, knowing that her choice was made despite his efforts.

"Meh don't worry about this old yet fashionable geezer. I'll manage…But hey, thanks for the concern. Thank you and Amanda. It's…it's been a while since someone cared like that…much more that they were able to actually relate to me…You and your wife are somethin' else…So is that techno geek I bet.

"Nolan…" Jack muttered softly, trying to smile, but was still sad over her decision.

"Hm?" She blinked.

"His name is Nolan…" Jack clarified.

"Oh right. Yeah. Nolan…" Roxanne chuckled lightly, before turning serious again as she explained to Jack the alternative exit that he, his wife, and friend could take to escape.

* * *

 **Later…**

After making sure the coast was clear, Jack readied himself to make his way back to the infirmary room to meet up with his wife and Nolan, making sure that the gun Roxanne lent him was still fully loaded and easy to draw out if needed be. While he cautiously made his way down the corridor, he was caught off guard by a familiar voice that shouted his name.

" _ **JACK!"**_

Before Jack could say anything as he turned around, he was immediately enveloped by a strong yet warm embrace. Amanda then broke away from him to punch him in the shoulder harshly as she glared at him. "I can't believe you did that! What the hell were you thinking?!" Before she could continue to let him have it as he rubbed his now sore shoulder and was ready to protest, her mind flashbacked to all the times she did the same thing to him and realized how her husband must have felt being kept out of the loop, and even more so, how he felt when she recently ditched him. She then sighed, a sheepish smile gracing the corner of her lips as she shook her head. "You know what, never mind. I'm just glad you're okay." She crushed her lips to his almost desperately, drinking him in, the confirmation of his safety and wellbeing becoming evident to her. Before Jack could swallow the protest he just had ready and instead, focus on kissing her back, still confused on what just happened, she broke off the kiss and buried her head into his neck, leaving him to just blink in bewilderment as he just held her tighter, turning his baffled expression towards Nolan who just shrugged in response.

He figured the mood swing greeting he was just a part of was a result of the pregnancy hormones and decided to leave it be. He then shrugged as she pulled away slightly and lifted her chin up to smile at her as he looked into her eyes and reassured her. "I told you I would be."

He then brought her in for another hug as he glared at Nolan over her shoulder. "And I thought I told _you_ to watch her." He said through clenched teeth.

"Oh I did watch her Jackie Boy! Yup! I watched her try everything short of setting a fire in order to break the door down but fail, I watched her pace a nice fair sized hole in the floor as she kept worrying, mumbling to herself over and over again, then I watched her chew my head off of my shoulders like bubble gum, then I watched her finally take a chill pill, and then I watched her refuse to stay still on the comfy side lines, and then I watched her eat a nice little snack, and then have a nice little chat with me, then I watched her shove me a few feet away in my chair with her rather brute strength, type in the code that she figured out you used, and then I watched her leave without me, giving me the workout of my life to catch up to her, then I watched her find the crowbar you left near the goon I'm guessing you knocked out, then I watched her take out a few goons herself with her usual combat skills, with the aid of me and crowbar here so that she didn't overdo it, then I watched her demand one of the punks to lead her to you, then I watched her find you and then give you a rather interesting, bipolar yet sweet greeting…So yeah I'd say that I've earned the title for best babysitter of the century."

"You really put Nolan through all of that trouble?" Jack gave a scolding look to his wife that she automatically could tell was playful.

She shrugged sheepishly yet nonchalantly in response. "I had to know you were okay."

"Stubborn." Jack lightly smacked her behind with a wry grin.

"Takes one to know one." She smacked him back with a smirk as she abruptly pulled him closer to her by the collar of his shirt.

"Not to interrupt what I'm sure will be an X rated scene, but just curious…What does JDP stand for?" Nolan smirked at Jack.

Jack chuckled silently to himself. "So you did figure it out huh?"

"'Wasn't too hard." Amanda shrugged once more as she and her husband exchanged a loving glance and smile, completely, ignoring Nolan's inquiry. Suddenly Amanda's eyes widened. "Oh no! Roxanne! We still need to help her! Did you find her Jack?"

"I did…" Jack sighed with a frown as the sadness hit him once more. "I was able to meet with her and she gave me directions to another escape route we can use…"

"Well…Is-is she okay? Why isn't she with you right now?" Amanda asked with concern.

Jack shook his head. "…She didn't want to come. She's…she's not going to come."

Amanda instantly knew what Jack meant and shook her head slowly. "I-I need to talk to her…"

"Am..." Jack shook his head sadly.

"We didn't have much time before when we talked, if-if I could just get to her now, I know I can reach her. I know what she's feeling- "Amanda insisted.

"I tried Amanda. Believe me I did. I saw what you meant and I understand why you want to save her but…she can't be saved. It's her choice…and... we can't go down with her…" Jack muttered sadly yet firmly.

Amanda looked down. She knew her husband was right, but she also knew what that meant. She didn't know Roxanne for very long, but it's been a long time since she felt such a connection with anyone who truly understood what she went through. The pain. The loss. The unbearable emptiness inside. And yet, despite her vendetta, this woman took it upon herself to save her and her family…Now all Amanda wanted to do was return the favor. To show her that there was more to life than revenge. It took her a while herself to realize that, but she did eventually. She wanted her to have that same hope, but now it looked like she never would.

Amanda nodded at her husband as he wiped away a stray tear that fell from her eye before she even noticed it and felt Nolan put a hand on her shoulder from behind.

"Let's just get out of here…" Amanda muttered sadly. Not knowing that somewhere, on the other side of the warehouse, an equally saddened and remorseful Roxanne Meyers wiped away her tears as she reloaded her weapon, creeping up silently to the men that were surrounding the Becker brothers, treating their wounds, planning their escape, plotting a plan of action for their now wounded organization, and most likely a certain traitor's death, not knowing that she was amongst them, hiding in their shadows.

The 47-year-old sniper woman then steeled herself, focusing all her determination, anger, sorrow, and hate into the goal at hand as she glared up ahead, and planned her next move.

"Looks like it's curtain time boys…This ends now…" She mumbled darkly.

 **To be continued…**


	12. Chapter 12 part 1

**A/N: If ya'll are reading this armed with pitchforks and torches…I don't blame you. Feel free to come after me cause ya'll I did NOT mean to update THIS FREAKING LATE! I SKIPPED A WHOLE MONTH! But in my defense, here are the reasons why. 1. School, 2. Severe writers block even though I knew how I wanted to go about this, and 3. More school and work and school… 4. My awesome partner had to get her Charlotte part in, and 5. More school…The good news is that not only are we nearing the end of this interesting journey, (I'm dragging it out for as long as I possibly can), but I'm taking film and media in school which means I'm learning all the juicy director secrets to drama tools and how to use them to captivate an audience! And you best better believe, I'll be using such techniques in this story. Now, here's how this is going to go. I didn't want to update this until it was lengthy and finished, but not only is this chapter alone so far like 15 pages long (over 7,000 words mind you), I simply refuse to let another month go by without a proper update. So, I know this will seem short and probably leave questions, (which is good.) But I'm already writing this chapter in its entirety even though it's broken up so feast on this part 1 update right now, and the part 2 will be done either this week or next week. Promise. So, let me know what ya'll think and I'm sorry for the long wait! Thanks!**

* * *

With their wounds, hardly considerable to pass as "manageable", but refusing to be hindered, the Becker brothers limped into the sophisticated wheelchairs that had their organization's logo plastered on the back of the seats, and wheeled ahead of their limited group of loyal members they had left; all the while, barking out orders left and right. However, somewhere in the shadows, Roxanne's glare deepened as she gritted her teeth at the sight. She refused to entertain the thought of how they were so close to escaping and no doubt, making plans to salvage their now severely wounded organization. The fact that they were using her Uncle's special designed wheelchairs to heighten that convenience, made her clench her fists as her thoughts scrambled on how to make her next move.

"Damn it! No way in hell are those bastards getting away! Come on think Roxy, think!" She whispered angrily, though she was screaming in her mind.

Turning her head to see one of the men who aided the Becker brothers' wounds gathering necessary medical supplies, Roxanne immediately recognized him as one of the physicians she used to work with and wasted no time in whipping out a 357 magnum to aim it at him. Before she took the shot, however, she paused as an idea came to her mind.

" _Hm…it' s short notice…risky even…"_

She couldn't help the smirk that spread across her lips.

"But it'll have to do." She finished her thoughts in a murmur as she flickered the trigger.

* * *

 **Meanwhile in a small apartment back in New York…**

The room was almost silent except for the slightly irregular sound of James's aesthetic leg pacing furiously up and down the laminate flooring of his small apartment. Charlotte watched him silently from the couch for a few minutes, a bag of frozen sweet corn, from the back of his freezer, pressed against her pounding head with the lingering effects of the doctor's attack still painfully present on her drained body and exhausted mind.

"I shouldn't have left you there alone Charlotte…" James finally spoke, breaking the rigid silence just as her mouth had opened to speak.

"I just…"

With his intense green eyes looking into hers with palpable frustration, James shook his head and pressed his lips together, trying to find the right words.

"I didn't think-I... I thought you would be alright on your own." He lied evenly.

The truth was, as soon as he had found the evidence in the doctor's house that he had needed, he hadn't thought of anything else but a powerful desire for revenge. And that feeling he had felt, was much too strong to contain in his very perpetrators house, with a smart, pretty woman who...try as she might, just didn't understand, at least not in the darker sense that he did. And so he had grabbed his papers and left, needing solitude and time to clear his head. He had to truly think about how far he was willing to go for so called "justice".

And though James regretted leaving, knowing now that it had left Charlotte in harm's way, he could not deny, that the time alone had given him the chance he needed, to come to terms with a decision forever surfacing around in his tormented mind.

"Are you really alright though Charlotte?" he asked honestly this time, concern clouding the anger flashing through his mind.

Staring back at him, the intensity of his bright green eyes almost overwhelming, Charlotte cleared her throat and nodded. "I know I look terrible, and I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't scared, but...I told you already James, I'm tougher than I look, and the only thing that filthy bastard of a human being achieved was toughening my already fortified resolve to make him pay…"

Nodding his head slowly, unintentionally charmed by the strength and determination he saw reflected back at him through her, James' lips inadvertently curled up into a little smirk, one not going unnoticed by Charlotte whose lips quickly formed one to match.

"And when we do," She confidently added, "I can't wait to clink glasses with you in cheers of our win!"

"To Justice." She added playfully, as she lifted her right hand in the air in the pretend motion of making cheers to her rather handsome partner. Only James didn't even humor her for a second. Instead, his expression only darkened and left her with an ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"What's wrong?" she asked instantly, her brows furrowing in a frown, "Do you not drink or something?" She slowly asked, hoping the reason was something like that, and not his lack of faith that they could not complete the task set out for them.

"I drink." James responded firmly, with a fire in his eyes as intense as the strongest whisky, "In fact after the so called 'accident', I drank an awful lot, it didn't seem to help though, not even at first. Nothing did, not my family, my coach, or even…my loving fiancé…" He sighed painfully before continuing, "Look, you don't understand, I was four years old when I sat down on my first bicycle, a shiny red one, with yellow flames on the sides, that my mom painted for me. I thought it was the coolest thing ever and I practiced every day, first with training wheels and the help of my dad, and then without. From that day on I fell in love with it, with bicycling, and as I got older it became more than just something fun, it became a sport, something for me to thrive in, and I fell in love all over again; with the training and stamina, and the skill and precision needed just to be on that starting line, and to feel that initial rush as you zoom past others on your race to the finish line".

"…I'm sorry…" Charlotte whispered not knowing what else to say, but James only shook his head, ignoring her completely, the sadness in his voice turning to anger as it combusted with the pain and resentment burning inside of him.

"The doctor stole that all from me…. stole my life by stealing my right leg. A leg that didn't need to be cut off in the first place. He didn't even apologize before bribing me to keep quiet, or even try to take responsibility. The only thing he cared about was his reputation, one built on dirty lies and cover ups. The worst thing though is that…I let him get away with paying me off. I betrayed my own self, getting caught up in all the medical bills piling up on my desk, when right from the start I should have just...maybe then I wouldn't…."

"…Wouldn't what?" Charlotte asked reluctantly, feeling tense with a cold familiarity at the deep, dark look, inescapable in his resolute forest green eyes. It was a shame; they were so beautiful too.

"…Wouldn't hate myself…" James replied unwaveringly, his voice sharp with contempt. "But to answer your question, yes Charlotte, I do drink, and I'd happily drink to Dr. Galtz's demise, but I'm not drinking to justice, I'm drinking to revenge. And, you and I, won't be in the same place to cheers to that."

"We're a team." Charlotte replied tensely, trying to ignore the ill-fated feeling she got from the finality heard in his voice. "And there's only one place the two of us will be, when we-"

"-When we what?" James interrupted harshly, "When we expose him? When we win?" He asked scornfully, "Come on, Charlotte, there's no winning in this! This isn't a game… and if it was, I'd already be out."

"So, you're giving up?!" Charlotte questioned angrily, feeling herself beginning to get worked up. "We can still do this! I may have lost the evidence I had of what he did to my sister, but you have evidence of what he did to you. We could take him to court!"

"Right. Evidence, that we obtained illegally, come on Charlotte, you're supposed to be the lawyer here, you know that can't be presented in court!"

"But it can be given to the press! You know as well as me how much the public loves a good scandal…It'll eat away at what he cares about most...his status. And it'll bring out other victims of his mistreatment who can help us build a legal case against him and put him in jail."

"And how long will that take? Months…Years…All the time he needs to put his filthy money to use and hire the best defense lawyers to help him get off easy. What's the point when the only thing exposing him will do is knock him down a couple notches? The public scrutiny will last all of five minutes before the public moves on to the next scandal, and as for the legal system...you of all people should know the wealthy have the tendency to slip right through those solid bars before truly paying for their crime."

"We can fight him…W-WE CAN FIGHT IT!" Charlotte shouted frustratingly, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice as she felt her mind fervently searching for and failing to grab onto and convince at least a little part of him that they could do this.

"I'm sorry Charlotte…" James muttered, trying to level out his abrasive voice back to speaking level as he raked his fingers roughly through his thick, dark hair. "But I'm done humoring you and your petty ideas of justice…I just..." Taking a deep breath, as he shook his head as though trying to free his darkened thoughts, James' fierce green eyes fixed on Charlotte's, a resigned sadness buried deep within them as he quietly added, "Look…I tried Charlotte, I really did, but whatever we do won't be enough. You're better off going home and telling your sister the good news...I'm sure she'll be happy to learn she can have kids..."

"And what about you?" Charlotte asked sharply, her eyes cutting into his with a mixture of anger, disappointment and disbelief. This takedown was important to her, both in terms of her sister, and in terms of her will and capability as a newborn lawyer. She needed this, but even more so than that…He needed this.

James seemed stuck to her…stuck in anger, and depression, and pain; a dark place she recognized all too well, and though she wasn't naive enough to believe that incarcerating Dr. Galtz would magically cure him of this, she did believe that if James saw their work come to light in the form of justice and legal punishment, then that could be the starting point for James to work on shedding his negative emotions, and eventually, hopefully, be the starting point to healing.

"What about you getting justice like you deserve?" She asked once more, keeping the sharpness in her tone.

"What about me?" James scoffed bitterly, "I'm so tired of the word justice coming out of your mouth! Justice won't bring my leg back! Justice is just the watered-down word for revenge that the legal system says we must accept! It's not enough for me…"

"REVENGE WON'T BRING YOUR LEG BACK EITHER!" Charlotte shouted in frustration, feeling her heart begin to pound at his words as a sickening sense of distress and familiarity clouded over her mind.

He wasn't giving up… he was going further…

She could already begin to the feel the toxicity of revenge in the room. She recognized it all too well, her whole family…on both two sides had been infected by it once upon a time…herself included.

"Please James…" Charlotte pleaded, her voice lowering multiple intervals as she walked closer towards him, her hand reaching out for his, as though if she held on tight enough or pulled hard enough, she could lead him away from it.

Tensing at her touch despite the warmth of her hand, James shook his head slowly and yanked his hand away, feeling locked in his resolution for vengeance. His mind was already made; it was something he'd ruminated on long before Charlotte. The only difference was that now he was desperate enough to go through with it. He had reached his limit. There was only so much darkness you could hold within yourself before it consumed you, and all his anger and pain had done just that.

"…Please…" Charlotte whispered again, narrowing the gap between them that he'd tried to make. They were so close now, the young woman who had learnt from revenge, and the young man ready for gravitating towards it. His forest green eyes were gleaming with warning, but she wasn't afraid of him. And so, to his frustration, her soft but strong brown eyes fiercely held his gaze without hesitation.

Charlotte was making him look bad. She was so strong despite all the things he'd learnt she'd gone through, and on top of that, despite her struggles, she had regained something he had lost so long ago…

Hope.

It was in that moment, with that thought, that James realized he desperately wanted it back…

If only for a minute…

Thus, James slowly reached out for her and hesitatingly yet tenderly pressed his lips against her own. Her lips were soft, warm, and tasted faintly of the peppermint tea he had made for her when she'd rushed anxiously through his door. His lips, in contrast, were hot like his rage, and though it burnt, Charlotte found herself deepening the kiss and leaning further into him, desperate to extinguish the flames of darkness with a soothing passion until they both pulled away in need of breath, the cool air inhaled bringing them back to reality.

It was Charlotte who spoke first, her cheeks still flushed from the kiss though it was a deep concern that now clouded her chestnut colored eyes.

"I don't know what you're planning James…" She said slowly, still slightly out of breath from the sudden yet heated kiss, "…But I'm not leaving you alone when I feel like you're going to do something you can't come back from. It won't help…you pursue revenge and you're putting Dr. Galtz above everything else; your family, your friends, your own well-being. Is that you want? You have people that care about you James, and despite what you think...you do have a future. Dr. Galtz already took your leg, don't let him take everything else too…You do that, and even if you get your revenge, you've ultimately let him win, and you won't feel any solace from that."

His body stiffening at her words, despite his mind standing firm, James remained silent for a few long minutes. Unfortunately, the tense, stillness of the room only managed to send him further back into his tormented thoughts.

"…Can I tell you something?" James finally replied.

Charlotte nodded her head slowly in response, finding herself unable to talk as her eyes frantically searched his for a sign that she'd gotten through to him.

"…You're going to make one badass lawyer Charlotte Clarke." He responded with a painful smile.

She managed to crack a genuine smile that did not seem to reach her eyes as the confusion remained. Not only at his abrupt change of subject, but at the question of whether he was still going to pursue with his vengeance, or forsake it altogether and focus on what mattered…

As she was pulled into his captivating gaze once more as they drew closer for another kiss, she could only hope at that point and convince herself that it was the latter option.

* * *

 **Back at the warehouse…**

The plans seemed to be set in motion as the small Black Mamba group informed the Becker brothers of how other members of their organization would be awaiting their arrival in another state as they set out a helicopter to their current location to pick them up. However, before the men could head out to a safe place to await their transportation, their physician strongly urged the men for him to examine their wounds further and administer the appropriate pain medication they would need to continue to keep moving forwards. Feeling the excruciating pain that was starting to kick in again, the Becker brothers complied without question and followed their doctor into the basement's infirmary room. Before the men noticed that the room had obviously been occupied before they entered and were ready to call on their group to search out the earlier intruders, they both felt abrupt searing pain in the back of their heads before everything went black…

By the time the brothers woke up, they found themselves bound by rope, their wheelchairs being a taunting few feet away from them as they lied next to each other on the hard, cold, floor; the room being overwhelmingly too dark to tell the exact whereabouts of their location.

"Ugh…What the fu-UGH! My head! Bro! What the hell happened to us?!" Dylan Becker cursed as he grabbed his head, the pain increasing as his consciousness returned.

Before Devin Becker could snap at him to shut up, the pain also shooting all throughout his body as he grimaced as well, both men heard the slow, soft, clacking sound of heels nearby along with a calm, soothing voice that although had a familiar sultriness they recognized, also held an unfamiliar tone that was boarder line sinister…

" _Hi there, boys…Nice seeing you again …Comfortable I hope?"_

"Roxanne…?" Devin Becker mumbled lowly, though his inquiry sounded more like a bitter statement.

"Roxy…you bitch. You did all this?" Dylan sneered.

"Well, normally I'd say to give the boy a prize seeing as how you're just as bright of a prick as ever Dylie, but no…Technically, _I'm_ not the one responsible for this whole downfall… _You_ are." Roxanne replied as her sultry tone dropped menacingly. " _You_ …and your _murderer_ _bastard_ _brother_ …are the _reasons_ …And oh…trust me when I say…that the morphine wearing off and the jackhammer pounding headaches you both are experiencing will be the least of your problems right now…When I'm done with you." Roxanne hissed twirling a kunai expertly in one hand as she glared down at their tied-up forms before the corner of her dark red lips curled into a smirk. "Although, I guess it's only cliché for you boys to wonder how you ended up here of all places…"

Dylan sneered at her. "More like how I'm gonna' enjoy skinning you alive and tearing your slutty little skank of a body apart for thinking you can get away with this bullshi- "

"-Our men…What did you do with our men?!" Devin cut off his brother while glaring at Roxanne, a demanding, and glowering expression clear across his face.

Roxanne shrugged. "Meh, they're alive. Not in the best shape right now, save for the good ol' doctor who so generously helped me with your current accommodations…

 **Flashback to a few hours earlier…**

" _Now Georgey, I'd say increasing the dosage of painkillers will just get the Becky boys spoiled. How's about you just toss them these colorful polka-dot designed Band-Aids for their troubles and call it a day instead, hm?"_

 _The prominent Black Mamba Organization's designated physician known as Dr. George, whipped his head around, his eyes scanning frequently around the confined medical supply closet he was in until his eye landed upon the dark, curvy silhouette in the shadows that moved into the dim light to reveal a smirking Roxanne Meyers as she playfully tossed up a box of colorful designed Band-Aids that was usually reserved for kids. The doctor used to be very fond of the woman as she used to sometimes work closely with him depending on the orders given, and since she was basically second in command of the tightly ran group, he had nothing but respect for her leadership and witty charm. However, all good graces went out the window once she abruptly turned on the entire organization. The physician immediately narrowed his eyes and was prepared to radio in for a distress signal, until the radio was shot clean out of his hand._

" _Ah, ah, ah. Don't try it Georgy. We wouldn't want anyone barging in on our private little convo session, now would we?"_

" _You're a traitor…A liar, a thief, a benedict motherfu-" The physician growled._

" _-Name calling doesn't suit you much. Stick with the complicated chicken scratch jargon, doc. 'Doesn't do well to try to be something you're not…"_

" _Oh! Like you're one to talk!" The physician barked. "You betrayed us all! For years, we have all followed under your orders and you just let it all go to shi-! "_

" _-I have my reasons. But let's cut to the chase of why you're still breathing. I need a favor, and you're gonna do it for me." Roxanne stated simply, interrupting his enraged rant of blame._

" _LIKE HELL I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR A BACKSTABBING SLUT LIKE YOU!"_

" _Yeesh! Touchy, touchy! And here I thought we were good buds Georgey. You always were one of my favorite out of the group…But then again I can understand why you're on edge…to see the bustling organization which so faithfully handled your carefully, crafted and corrupted paychecks so promptly, suddenly go down to the dirt…traumatic. Especially since you're willing to do anything for them…Die even. Nothing else matters…not even your family who clearly has no idea of your practice in the black market...just so long as the business that pays you good remains standing right?"_

" _How. Dare. You. You. No good BITCH! YOU MOTHERFU- "_

" _Oh! That reminds me! How is your darling wife, Debbie anyways? The new parent life treating her good? Nothing wrong with your one month old son I hope?" Roxanne asked casually, almost cheerfully, although the threat rang clearer than a bell as the physician's eyes widened and he had trouble swallowing the huge lump that was caught in his throat._

" _Please…Do whatever you want with me…but…d-don't mess with my family! Th-they're all I have!"_

" _You mean besides all the blood money that equals to almost half a billion that you made off destroying other people's lives…Including mine…" Roxanne hissed._

 _The physician's pleading eyes turned into pure confusion._

" _Oh you don't remember? Funny. I thought the memory of how you made your first big tip from informing the boss of a Mr. Raymond Adams' ground breaking wheelchair invention was one of your most treasured…You sure used to brag about it…all the time in fact…Of how incompetent the inventor was…and how you suggested to the boss that he'd be the perfect target to go after since he was so poor at managing his assets…He was such an easy target wasn't he? 'So trusting and unaware…But you know what else he was? My. Uncle." She growled as she tossed the box of colorful Band-Aids aside and pulled out her 357 magnum, playfully twirling the chamber in a sudden game of Russian roulette as she held it to his head._

 _The physician was whimpering at this point as he tried to voice out a response of defense. "I-I-I-d-d-d-didn't kn-kn-kn- "_

 _Roxanne's eyebrows raised with amusement. "Y-y-you what? Didn't know? I understand…The more you know, huh?"_

 _She twirled the chamber on the gun once more as he cowered. She then gently tipped his rugged chin up with her finger and smiled._

" _Now…about that favor I wanted?"_

 **End flashback.**

It didn't take long for the Becker brothers to piece together exactly what happened…

The brief yet intruding thoughts of why their doctor suddenly took so long to retrieve their medications, or his abrupt suggestion that persuaded the Becker brothers to let him examine them in the basement's infirmary room…

A room that was not only secluded, but abandoned...

Perfect for an ambush…in which they figured was exactly what happened to them…

The men's glare increased as Roxanne continued to speak.

"But then again, your men should be the least of your worries, _Boss_. Although, I wouldn't count on your little first class flight arriving anytime soon seeing as how the pilots might be a _little_ too busy trying to explain to the big boys in blue how they acquired such a fancy fully-loaded aircraft…illegally…With all the juicy footage to back the crimes up. Courtesy of your earlier requests to see the job completed to the very last detail. What better way of insurance than to get it all on camera, yeah?" Roxanne winked.

"YOU BITCH! YOU'LL INCRIMINATE US ALL!" Dylan shouted furiously, while Devin's glower deepened to the point of him emitting a menacing growl.

"Mm yeah. That's kind of the idea, Maestro. But oh, don't get too cheery yet…After all, compared to all the ass loads of evidence I've got on you both, I haven't even started my fun yet…"

"YOU WON'T GET THE CHANCE…TO EVEN KEEP BREATHING IN THE NEXT SECOND SLUT!" Dylan roared as he reached over his brother and tried to grab at Roxanne, who simply took a step back and pulled out a small remote control from her pocket.

"I wouldn't move around too much if I were you…If you're not careful…you could suddenly find yourself a bit _out of place_ so to speak…I'm sure you've noticed the nice little square lining I made on the ground…I made it just for the two of you…Though, you're both probably wondering why exactly you both are placed in the center of it specifically…Well for one, I thought it would be unique! As for the other reason, well…let's just say it makes a comfy safety zone…"

Roxanne pressed the button and a small tremor effect took place as the sturdy floor that once surrounded the two brothers suddenly shifted out of place, save for the square, lined platform that remained. The rest of the floor turned into a deep pit along with numerous, collaborated sounds of ominous yet sudden hissing. As the brothers dared to glance below them, their hearts dropped into their stomachs once they beheld the sources of the terrorizing sounds…

Hundreds, if not thousands of loose Black Mamba snakes slithering and hissing altogether.

Waiting.

"Hope you don't mind the company…I thought our little buddies looked a bit stuffy in those cages and could use a breather…I know how much you adore them…as I'm sure they adore you as well! I remember everything you said about them; kind of ironic, really, how such shy and nonconfrontational creatures can turn aggressive and lethal on a dime the moment they sense any type of threat. That being said, I wouldn't recommend you wiggling around as the notion of falling on them could be taken as a sign of aggression and put you in a bit of a predicament…"

The deafening, sudden yells and profanities that poured from the brothers' mouths and echoed off the soundproof walls of the concealed section of the basement that was once known for being their sick torturing chambers, would have made any sensible person cringe and maybe feel a smidge of sympathy.

This was not the case for Roxanne Meyers.

Instead, each curse word and threat made her smile widen, as if their torturous screams were just a preview of what would turn into an excruciatingly painful symphony that would pleasure her more and more by the second.

"Now, now…no need to get fussy boys…I promise that I won't let your little pets have all the fun with you…" Roxanne soothed as she pressed another button on the remote that shifted the floors once more until a platform that resembled a runway formed in front of the men as she sauntered closer to them, hazel green eyes sparkling as they twitched in fear at the sight of her kunai as she twirled the weapon expertly in her hand once more…

"No. That honor will be _mine_ and _mine_ alone…"

* * *

 **Meanwhile, back in New York…**

Javier Salgado shifted his worried gaze back and forth from his smartphone to Nolan's computer screen as he continued to desperately trace the whereabouts of his former mentor's location and reroute the hackers that dared to challenge his skills in reaching the needed reinforcements Nolan needed.

Only problem was, that the hackers were proving to be pretty good at preventing Javier's efforts…

…A little too good for his liking…

And there was no word from Nolan if whether his attempts of reaching help succeeded or not.

…In fact, there hadn't been any word from him period for a good minute…

Before Javier could growl and rip the monitor clean off Nolan's polished desk top, he took a deep breath and furiously sunk his teeth into another one of Louise's cupcakes that were stress-baked to perfection in a desperate attempt to calm his nerves. Before the delectable taste convinced him that it worked, he jumped at the sound of the doors flying open and the sounds of wincing, yelping, and groaning as Louise stormed into the house, her Louboutin designer heels pounding the hard floors with a vengeance. Javier then noticed that the red head was dragging someone behind her, a man, who seemed to follow her without hesitation.

Not that the person had a choice, seeing as how she had him by the ear…

Literally.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Lou-Lou! OW! Damn it woman! Let go already!" The dark-skinned man nearly whimpered as her grip only grew firmer.

Obviously, her choice of a square styled French manicure didn't help matters as the stinging, pinching sensation on his ear worsened…

"YOU HUSH! Why I've got half a mind to slap you silly upside your bald lookin' head right about now! I've been tryin' and tryin' and tryin' for god knows how long to reach you! And what do I get in return?! A HEAP LOAD OF NOTHIN! NO CALLS, NO TEXTS, NOTHIN! Ya'll oughta be ashamed of yourself!" Louise all but roared.

Javier immediately perceived that the man currently suffering the red head's wrath had to be the mysterious Johnathan Doe. A.K.A. The mystery man who failed to return her desperate calls for help and was now facing the consequences.

"Ow! I…thought…I-I t-told you…and Nolan…that…I was going under…OW! The radar!" John tried to explain while wincing as she refused to lighten her grip.

"I COULDN'T CARE LESS IF YOU WERE GOIN' TO THE BLOOMIN' MOON! THE NUMBER ONE RULE WE ALL AGREED ON WHEN TAKING YOUR CASE WAS TO STAY IN TOUCH ALWAYS! AT ALL TIMES! NOW THANKS TO YOU, NOLAN DARN WELL MIGHT BE-! M-m-might be…" Louise's yell turned into a trembling whimper as she released John's ear, put a hand to her mouth, and shut her eyes, trying to will the tears away with no success.

John's pain and annoyance turned into immediate concern as he put a hand to her shoulder, his eyes going wide, but his firm voice sounding troubled. "W-what about Nolan? I-is he alright?!"

"No. He's _no bueno_ …And for all of our sakes pal, you better hope he, Amanda, and Jack ain't as good as dead right now…" Javier stated with contempt.

"Amanda and Jack? What do they have to do with this? Are they all hurt?! Wait a minute, hold up, who the hell are you?" John asked as he glared at Javier with a clear wariness in his eyes.

"Right now, a royally pissed off guy; especially at the fact that we could've had more help on our end for rescuing _my_ mentor, but didn't! Seeing as how your momma's boy problems were clearly a bigger issue than helping your friends, huh Patterson?" Javier practically sneered, choosing John to be the perfect outlet for his current frustrations and stress of their situation at hand.

John wasted no time in rushing towards Javier and grabbing him by the shirt, clearly taking his attitude and the fact that he knew his true identity as an all-out threat. "You wanna run that by me again, pretty boy?!"

"Gladly! You- UGH!"

"OW!"

" **BOTH OF YA'LL STOP THIS TOMFOOLERY! YOU'RE ONLY MAKIN' THINGS WORSE AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR IT! NOW QUIT ACTIN' LIKE BUNCH OF STUBBORN MULES AND GET YA'LLS ACT TOGETHER SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE SAM HILL TO DO! UNDERSTAND?!"** Louise bellowed as she grabbed both men fiercely by their ears. Once they nodded in submission, she released them both, crossed her arms, and turned towards John with a pure serious look on her face.

"Nolan's in trouble. We were doin' some of that recon work while you were away to try to get more info on the crooks who framed your mother when Nolan was kidnapped by some vicious, rabid, suited thugs! He managed to send me some photo shots and clues as to who could be responsible, but ya'll know I'm not good with that tech gibberish hocus pocus stuff like Nolan is, so I-I called Amanda since I didn't know what else to do and she told me to call Javier here who was Nolan's little…uh, whatchacallit…Playmate buddy or somethin'?"

"Protégé." Javier corrected flatly.

"Yeah! That! So, he came over and managed to find some info and I think Amanda and Jack went after Nolan, but I haven't heard from them since the time we figured out who those thugs were! And since I've been tryin' my hardest to reach you but couldn't, I had no choice but to tell Javier who you really were so he could do the hacking hocus pocus stuff to track you down and find you!"

"Which wasn't too hard. Mind you." Javier cracked a smirk before it dropped completely. "At least, not like these bozos we're dealin' with right now. The guys who nabbed Nolan aren't just any type of crooks. They're some kind of unorthodox mafia gang who go under a pretty squeaky clean cover to accomplish their dirty work. You couldn't expect them in the least, but they're called the Black Mamba Organization."

"Black Mambas…Why does that sound familiar to me…" John mumbled aloud, contemplating the familiarity of the name.

"Maybe cause they're not only top rated with the Better Business Bureau, but might have possibly been the connected unknown sources for where the so-called Patterson's embezzlement and blood funds ended up instead of what the world concluded about your mom being behind it all?"

"WHAT?! I-IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN PROVE THIS?!" John nearly shouted, though he had no idea if his outburst was due to feeling anger, excitement, hope, or all those emotions mixed together.

"Honestly? No. These guys…they're slippery. But Nolan managed to put a dent in their plans to where they had to grab him. Only problem is that we don't have a way of knowing where he is, and trust me when I say, I've tried nearly everything. Their security and defense mechanisms are top notch in all forms. Physically, and in technology. The location's un-hackable, and I wanna say Nolan's working on making a miracle happen…but…we didn't hear nothin' yet…Not from him, or Amanda and Jack…" Javier explained in a grim tone.

"These guys are bad news… Really bad. Th-they hurt him…Y-you didn't hear him Johnie, Nolan he…he sounded like he was in so much pain the last time I talked to him and I-I just…" Louise's voice trembled as tears started rolling down her cheeks. John's eyebrows furrowed with worry and guilt as he slowly embraced the troubled woman.

"I'm so sorry Louise…I-I didn't know...If I was only here earlier…If I never even left you guys in the first place! Then maybe! Maybe…this wouldn't have ever happened…" John mumbled sadly, hating himself for not being there for the man and woman who were not only loyal to his mother's cause, but to his friendship with them in general.

Seeing the bond prevalent between John and Louise as their sorrow was evident over his former mentor, Javier felt guilty from snapping at John earlier and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "…You're here now dude…So just…Pull your weight and hope for the best. That's about all we can do at this point right now…"

"We're going to find him Louise. He will…he will be okay. They all will be. I promise." John stated firmly while grasping her shoulder, desperate to convince himself as well as her, as he stared into her reddened eyes that were swollen from earlier tears. Normally, she'd nod vigorously, all the while cracking a hopeful smile, fervently believing in whatever hope she could that her knight in Versace armor was indeed alive and well, but the emotional toll was too much on her as she simply just looked down to the floor and gave a pitiful nod.

"I…I left my pie in the oven…Excuse me…" Louise mumbled as she sullenly made her way into the kitchen and left the two men alone.

John muttered a string of curses under his breath before turning towards Javier. "We…we gotta keep trying. When's the last time you've heard from Nolan?"

"Bout a couple of hours ago…He said he was working hard to get through on his end, but…anything can happen within a couple of hours…"

"He's alive. That's what matters. That's…that's all that matters." John said fervently.

Javier felt tempted to object, but wanted to desperately grasp onto hope as well so he just nodded. "So…I gotta know…Nolan and Louise…are they…? _You know_ …"

"Not officially…at least, not anymore…then again that was all a hoax anyways so, I mean who knows maybe something could've developed in that time…" John mused to himself.

"Uh…English please?" Javier raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry. Honestly man, I couldn't tell ya. It's kind of an undecided mixed bag of complications, so nothing's official, but at the same time it's kind of obvious. Ya get what I mean?"

"…Yeah. I think I do." Javier cracked a sad smile as his thoughts reluctantly thought of Charlotte and what they had briefly all those years ago. He couldn't help but wonder, what had become of the youngest Clarke? Was she well? Successful no doubt, maybe even more beautiful than the last time…Was she still having issues with past demons…Would he ever see her again?

He quickly silenced any other idle thoughts and memories as his phone beeped with a notification that immediately caught his eye.

"No way…" Javier whispered in awe.

"What?" John asked.

"…You never cease to amaze me do ya, bro?" Javier mused, a smile appearing and widening on his face.

"What? Out with it man?! What did you find?!"

"Oh nothin', just the exact location of where Nolan's at by him using a very outdated yet extremely useful application that we crafted at the time when we were locked up in jail together, seemingly banned from all technology! Don't ask…"

"So Nolan's alive! And we seriously know where he's at now?!" John asked, his excitement growing. He faintly heard sounds of a plate shattering into pieces and briefly wondered what was the cause, until he was abruptly shoved aside in his computer chair with a rather brutal force.

"NOLAN'S ALIVE?! YOU FOUND HIM?!" Louise shouted eagerly as she apparently overheard the men while placing yet another stressed-baked dessert on the already crowded table.

"Yep! According to the message he sent me…Huh…Weird…It says he's in Las Vegas…somewhere underground?"

"Well just what in the Sam Hill are we standin' round here for! There's no time to lose! Let's get movin'!" Louise declared and was ready to storm out the door, expecting the men to be hot on her heels, only to turn around to see them blink at her with confusion.

"Come on! Chop! Chop! We're wastin' daylight here!"

"Louise…Nolan and the others are in Las Vegas…underground…We're in the Hamptons…How the hell are we supposed to get down there?" Javier said slowly, before making his point.

Louise waved him off. "Oh please! That's not a problem! We'll all just pile into my private jet! We'll be there faster than you can say Savannah!"

"You mean _we_ will. I think it's too dangerous for you to go with us Lou-Lou…" John advised.

The silence that struck the room only seemed to feed the sudden negative tension as Louise blinked at John and let out a disbelieving chuckle.

"I'm sorry…I must've misheard you…'Cause I KNOW you did NOT just suggest that I simply STAY HERE, running round' like a chicken with its head cut off in WORRY like I've been doin for the past WEEKS, and NOT go out to save MY best friend and one of the only TRUE, GENUINE, MEN out there who has EVER GIVEN A RAT'S ASS about ME despite EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN THROUGH IN THE PAST SEVRAL YEARS OF OUR FRIENDSHIP! **SO, YOU WANNA RUN THAT BY ME AGAIN JOHNIE-BOY?! CAUSE I THINK I'VE CLEARLY MISHEARD THAT MISTAKEN COMMENT ABOUT YOU SUGGESTIN' THAT I STAY HERE DOIN PLUM NOTHIN' INSTEAD OF GOIN OUT THERE TO RESCUE MY BEST FRIENDS. NO. SCRATCH THAT, MY** _ **FAMILY**_ **THAT I'VE BEEN TRYIN' TO DO FOR WEEKS ALONG WITH THE ONLY MAN I'VE EVER TRULY CARED ABOUT AND HAD FEELINGS FOR, WITH NO HELP FROM YOU, AND JUST STAY PUT LIKE SOME KIND OF HELPLESS WALLFLOWER! SO PLEASE, IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND, TO REPEAT YOURSELF, I'D VERY MUCH SO APPRECIATE IT!"**

"I-I-I s-said l-let's all get going?" John stammered, taken aback by the pure, calm rage in Louise's eyes, until she suddenly winked and smiled at him in response.

"That's what I thought ya'll said. I agree! Let's make tracks!" She said cheerfully and sauntered out the door, pulling out her iPhone to arrange the flight.

"So…just reiterating what you said earlier…they're not officially _a thing_?" Javier asked doubtfully, breaking the awkward, scolding silence.

"…I take it back. They're a thing…An unofficial, complicated, mixed up, and messed up thing, but a thing nonetheless…" John muttered.

* * *

 **Back at the Warehouse…**

Though she found Dylan Becker's ranting, cursing, whimpering, pleading, and screaming enjoyable as he continued to voice his obvious distress as the brothers remained on the small, raised platform that kept them from falling into the abyss of deathly snakes while she remained on the other side of the runway platform, Roxanne almost wanted to yawn as she found their current torture amusing yet boring…

It was certainly time to kick it up a notch…

"…So that's it then? You're just going to kill us now?" Devin's cold yet disturbingly calm voice managed to grab her attention as Roxanne whipped her head towards him.

She wanted to scoff, but instead simply shook her head. "Nah. Too easy. If I ended you guys now, that would just take the fun out of everything. 'Specially since the main point is to make sure you suffer in agony to the point where you beg for death and then I, in turn, can either choose to be merciful enough to grant it to you…or just wait it out and savor the moment…"

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO US?!" Dylan cried almost desperately. "I mean Roxy! Baby! It's us! Remember all the good times we've shared together? The three of us? The cons, the glory, the loot, the blowjobs, the pleasure, we gave you everything! And for what?! For you to want to take over the joint as the head honcho? Is that your aim?! To be better than us after we practically got your ass to the top of the command chain?!"

Roxanne blinked in reply, her eyebrows raised in amusement as she contemplated whether to humor his stupidity or not.

"ANSWER ME YOU UNGREATEFUL BITCH!"

Roxanne folded her arms. "If I did, that would mean wasting my precious time and energy to engage in your idiocy. I mean I always thought you were a braindead ass, but wow, you never cease to amaze me…of what a complete piece of moronic trash you are…So, I'll pass on the comments. But I will say this though; I couldn't care less for your blood based con of an organization. In fact, I never did. Ever. But sometimes, you gotta do whatever it takes to rise to the top. And again. I reiterate. I didn't do this to you…No. You bastards brought this all on yourselves."

Roxanne growled but then shot Devin a very perturbed and malicious smile. "Especially you Devie! You set the stage for this whole fiasco. If you're wondering how, well, let's just say that maybe your men should have listened to you during that whole Adams Family snuff out back in the day…Maybe they _should_ have gone after that ugly yet geeky pre-teen girl who got away and went missing all that time when they thought it was pointless to do so…Because _maybe_ , just _maybe_ then that would have given you the advantage to get away with the crimes and murders you've committed…But alas, things didn't go as planned. And now, that ugly yet geeky pre-teen girl known as Grace Adams managed to not only infiltrate your sorry ass business and cause its ultimate downfall, but is going to be the one who will personally… **SEND YOU BOTH STRAIGHT TO THE PITS OF HELL, HERSELF!"**

Both the brothers' eyes widened in complete shock and realization as they pondered and figured out everything that was happening to them and the reason behind why their top, loyal and outmatched second in command of the Black Mambas suddenly turned on them out of the blue.

Because this wasn't out of the blue at all…

This was carefully planned from god knows how long ago…

By the once weak and intimidated girl who they failed to go after…

It was in that moment when the Becker brothers realized…that they were officially fu-

"Now…" Roxanne twirled her kunai in her hand once more. "Let's have some fun, shall we?"

 **To be continued…**


	13. Chapter 12 part 2

**A/N: Merry Christmas (And happy early birthday to me)! Well, almost anyways…I know. You want to kill me. However, my excuse this time is legit. I had family crises, school, finals, and it was hectic. But, I was determined as you can see to get a fair-sized chunk done as we are now pretty much at the end of the story…(long reviews for cranking up over 7,000 words in a day would be nice guys…) Special thanks goes to my lovely partner, InfinityxInfinity777 and to all you wonderful readers who have been kind and patient. Sorry to keep you all waiting. Oh! And a big thank you goes to karvesprincess for keeping Jemily alive with her outstanding masterpiece that Mike Kelley really needs to see, "The Revengers" series. It's clear that we might have a little "baby" war on our hands however so…Just kidding. Seriously though, read her story. It's amazing! Mine however…Well…many are wondering, "Am I cruel enough to take away such a precious opportunity from Amanda?!" Well, it's called revenge for a reason ya'll. All I can say is…What goes around, comes around…Read if you dare. And if you have tissues that'd be good too. Just saying…**

* * *

 **Meanwhile in a closed off section of the warehouse basement's corridor…**

Jack Porter couldn't help but frown as he watched his wife's face as they stood next to each other; waiting almost anxiously for Nolan. They couldn't help but feel left in the dark since at one moment, their genius best friend's eyes lit up as he snapped his fingers saying that he had a plan, and the next moment, before they could question him, he abruptly took their phones and told them to stay put as he sprinted off.

Though the look in Amanda's steely brown eyes was borderline apathetic, her eyebrows were furrowed and she couldn't stay still in the slightest as she shifted from one foot to the other, folding her arms, occasionally holding her fingers to her lips as if she was ready to start biting her nails at any time only to suddenly drop them, clenching her fists, while every so often shifting her eyes back and forth in their location, as if daring intruders to pop out.

Her expression concealed it to a point but her actions confirmed it all.

She was worried; if not scared…terrified even.

Jack couldn't blame her. He felt the same way. Nothing was certain right now, hell, it was getting worse!

But they couldn't lose hope.

He'd be damned if he let that happen.

Shifting himself closer to her, he attentively put one arm around her and smiled.

"So…I was thinking we'd do green."

Amanda almost jumped at the slightest touch since her nerves were on edge but then instantly calmed down as she remembered her husband was standing next to her. She then frowned in confusion at his random, out of the blue statement. "…What?"

"I was thinking we'd do green! You know for when we turn one of the guest rooms into a nursery?"

Amanda just stared at him, taken aback that he would bring up such a random subject in their current life and death situation. "…You can't seriously be thinking about that right now…?" Amanda shook her head slowly out of disbelief, her reprimanding tone sounding more so confused than scolding.

"Why not? Considering how it's finally going to happen for us now and it's a subject that can possibly take your mind off this situation and focus on more positive things which in turn would be more beneficial for you and the baby, I'd say it's the perfect time to talk about it right now." Jack retorted seriously with a smile.

"Jack…" Amanda started, knowing immediately what his aim was. Though she was touched by his optimism, her realistic and logical point of view of their situation was on the frontlines of her mind. And in this case, with the dangers and risks they were facing, finding the silver lining, only could do so much as a distraction before realizing that the cloud was part of an ongoing hurricane.

Before she could say anything further, she was taken aback as Jack suddenly bent down on his knees to her abdomen level and gently placed a hand on her semi-flat stomach.

"Hey there little one, it's your Daddy speaking…I know things are looking pretty grim right now…But I just want you to know that we're all going to be ok…one way or another. We've been waiting so long for this opportunity to have you exist and now that we do…we're not going to let anything happen to you. You've got a beautiful mother, an amazing big brother, and so many others out here who will be so excited to see you and will love you. Especially since we…didn't ever think it would be possible for you to be here…but…life's full of surprises. And you're one of the greatest. Which is why we're going to do everything in our power to make sure you stay safe. So…hang in there for us…After all, you couldn't be in more capable hands…Trust me I know. Your mommy's something else…and a ninja."

Touched by his display of parental affection and reassurance on both of their parts, Amanda felt her eyes water, but kept the tears back as she rolled her eyes playfully at him before giving him a tender look, fully expressing her gratitude at his comfort attempt before narrowing her eyes seriously. "There's just one thing I don't get…"

Jack stood back up and gave a look of slight confusion before nodding for her to continue.

"…Why green?"

He blinked at the sudden subject change, but almost sighed in relief when he saw the twinkle in his wife's eyes signifying that his attempt to get her to relax a little was a success. He then decided to play along as he shrugged. "…Well, why not green? I think it'd be a good color for- "

"-for _JDP?_ " Amanda smirked. "And if _he_ ends up being a _she_ , then what?"

"…We'll…just…cross that bridge when we get there, _IF_ we get there. But I have a pretty good feeling it's going to be a boy." Jack gave her a sheepish yet confident look, enjoying the melodious sound of her reluctant giggles.

"You're just saying that because you and Carl never came up with a girl name that time you guys talked about it a few months back." Amanda chuckled as she folded her arms.

"Well it's not like we haven't _tried_ to come up with some good girl names, he was just…a little more _insistent_ on coming up with names for a little _brother_." Jack defended with a smirk.

"And so, you think based on that, you're going to get lucky and have another mini-you." Amanda gave him a whimsical, pointed look.

"Hey, I said _Carl_ was the one who already said it was a done deal. Me, I'm…OK, I won't lie and say I wouldn't be interested in having another little runner-up for the little league, but I'm not really picky on the preference. I'm just…really happy it's finally going to happen…" Jack gently placed his hand on his wife's stomach as he gazed warmly into her eyes.

She immediately returned the affection with a gentle smile and a soft nod. "Yeah…I feel the same way." She gently touched her forehead to his before letting an impish grin tease the corner of her lips. "But who knows, maybe you'll be right after all and it'll be a bouncy baby boy…I have pretty good feeling about it."

Jack immediately gave her a dry and pointed look. "…You're trying to get my hopes up."

"Why would you say that?" Amanda tried to plaster on an offended expression, hoping that he wouldn't read through it any deeper.

But of course, he did.

"You always know how to give this particular, perfectly innocent smile that only means the opposite and that's what you're giving me right now. You're trying to hide it, but after all this time we've had together I finally learned how to spot it." Jack explained, playfully running his thumb across her lips, instantly exposing her façade.

"You're no fun anymore." She jokingly pouted. "But no, seriously, you might be right on this one. I mean, it's still too early to tell if I'm carrying low or high but, here's hoping, right?" She shrugged before her eyes glinted once more. "But…just so you know, for the record, a little birdie might or might not have told me that Carl might have recently changed his mind and was actually hoping for a little _sister_ and just didn't tell Daddy yet."

"Oh, is that so?" Jack tilted his head and gave her a disbelieving and suspicious look.

"According to the birdie." She shrugged innocently, not losing the mischievous smirk.

A pregnant silence filled the air as Jack tried to search his wife's eyes for any signs of joking around.

He didn't find any.

"...Yellow then?" Jack finally offered sheepishly.

"Mm…somewhere along those lines. Neutral colors at best." Amanda smiled.

"Deal…But _I_ still think _I'm_ right." Jack smiled confidently, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Who knows… _Maybe_ you are." Amanda smiled bringing her face closer to his.

"…Trying to get my hopes up again…" Jack murmured as he felt Amanda's warm breath tease his lips.

"… _Maybe_ …" She whispered as she pressed her lips to his, bringing him closer into their warm and tender embrace as their kiss deepened.

The couple was so caught up in their moment, they barely heard the blatant scoffing behind them.

" _Wow. Really you two? Whatever happened to the days of longing stares in the back of each other's heads, or those simple secret smiles and moments of tension? I'm really starting to miss those old days cause now, I swear it's like I can't even leave you guys alone for two minutes without you two going NHL championship on each other's tonsils can I?"_

" **Shut up Nolan!"** Amanda and Jack snapped in unison, clearly embarrassed that their best friend caught them in such an _active_ moment of subtle intimacy as if they were hormone hungry teenagers in a rather compromising position that just got exposed. They immediately broke away from each other, gathered their composures, and reverted into focus mode.

"Where'd you run off to anyways?" Amanda folded her arms.

Nolan shrugged. "Meh, nowhere special. Just had to find that right spot for reception to activate a certain program Javier and I crafted in our renegade stage in life when we met in prison seemingly cut off from all technology after that whole Initiative fiasco…don't ask. Anyways, this application enabled us to communicate fluently without any immediate cyber threat or detection; meaning that I was finally able to send Javier an SMS of our SOS situation, including the exact location and status."

"You were able to reach him?! So, they're sending help right now?!" Jack asked eagerly.

"Correctamundo! In fact, if we hurry with the exit route Am's new killer bestie gave us, we'll have enough time to get out of here, meet with the cops, and save said killer bestie all in one swoop!"

"Nolan you're incredible!" Amanda exclaimed, instantly latching onto her best friend, grabbing him in a rather unexpected embrace that caught him off guard. He blamed the pregnancy hormones since it was out of her character, but couldn't help but have a little fun with it.

" _Hey_ , _hey_ , _hey_! Easy there _Ams_! You know I love you too, but what is your hubbie going to think, seeing us like _this_ so out in the _open_?" Nolan said dramatically before shooting Jack an inviting, yet teasing smirk while wiggling his eyebrows. "Then again, I've always been fond of Skipper here and I wouldn't be totally opposed to the idea of a threesome. What do ya say Jackie boy?"

"You're an idiot." Jack stated bluntly with a dry and pointed look, though a smirk teased the corner of his lips as he folded his arms.

"Ouch. Ya know a simple _no thank you_ would have sufficed…" Nolan jokingly pouted as he watched his best friends come together in an embrace once more.

* * *

 **Meanwhile in another part of the warehouse…**

For many tortured years, Grace Adams had always dreamed of a certain moment…

The moment where she would revel in the downfall of her enemies as they'd writhe in the torture she would execute upon them…

Their failure to keep their composures as she'd tear into them alive with her lone weapon, eagerly anticipating their excruciating painful cries as the evidence of their pain would be revealed through the stains of their bloodshed…

Their violent profanities spewing out like a waterfall at her in a desperate attempt to preserve their pride only for them to all but wane as pathetic pleads for mercy would taunt her unforgiving ears as she'd continue to destroy their images, their power, their very souls…

Yet it still wouldn't compensate for what they put her through…

But then again, you can't always get what you want in life…

And so, as she gazed down at the battered and crumpled positions of the Becker brothers as they fought to maintain and even out their breaths from the pain of their afflictions that she caused, the woman known as Roxanne Meyers revealed to be Grace Adams took a deep breath of satisfaction, savoring every second of their torture. Her hazel green eyes glistened at the sight of her now tainted kunai as it dripped ever so slowly with fresh blood.

 _Their_ blood.

She decided before the big finale of their long-awaited death that she should have some fun; make her point and their utter humiliation really stick for the hell of it. So, she took the liberty of carving her victory into them. Literally. She turned her apathetic gaze onto their wounds, the letters "G" and "A" along with her Sensei Takeda's symbol barely noticeable as tattooed lacerations in their skin as it was smeared and reflected in blood.

Considering all that she had planned to do to the Becker brothers, Roxanne figured it was a promising start and she was counting on a fulfilling end.

What she did not count on however, was the sounds of Devin Becker's' breathy chuckles that soon turned into bellowing laughter…

She whipped her head to the bleeding and laughing leader of the Black Mambas, fury blazing in her eyes. "Something funny?!" She demanded.

"Oh…very much so. You must excuse me, as I'm sure that this is no laughing matter for you. But I cannot help but find how humorous these turn of events are. For you in particular." Devin chortled.

"How. The. Actual. Fu-! GAH! H-hell c-c-could you be laughing right n-now?! Don't you get that t-this bitch is gonna kill us?!" Dylan managed to grunt out in pain, blood running into his eyes as he glared at his brother.

"Oh! I'm very much so aware. She probably is anytime now for all we know. But what I also am aware of is the evidence of _her_ own downfall...Even more so…her utter failure to get what she wanted."

"SHUT UP!" Roxanne growled as she mercilessly swung her kunai, nicking Devin in the face, Angry that his howl of pain only turned into louder maniacal laughter, as if her actions only served his purpose. As if somehow, despite all that she had done, he somehow still had the upper hand over her.

As if…somehow…after everything…he had won anyways…

"Tell me my dear…What exactly were you hoping to accomplish by this, hm? I mean…escaping like a scared little puppy, tail tucked in between legs, going off somewhere training like Rocky Balboa, changing your identity trying to come off as a macho Rottweiler, climbing all the way to the top in the hopes of taking us baddies down…and for what? What were you hoping for? An apology perhaps? A little "I'm sowwy? Fwom da mean men who took your mommy and daddy fwom you?" Becker taunted before smiling. "Oh…but that's it, isn't it? That's exactly what you want: what you were hoping for in this pointless revenge. Maybe it's more than just retribution. Let me guess, you're thinking ending us will accomplish some sort of justice, right? For mommy and daddy and Uncle Ray-Ray? As if it was the key to bringing them back? Well newsflash Honey, they're gone. So, is that pathetic Tanner, who I bet was your baby's daddy hm?"

Roxanne's body at this point was shaking with so much fury and hatred, she was ready to scream and attack with a vengeance! She was ready to pounce and swipe at the man with her kunai until she was covered in his blood, she would not stop. She would not rest. She wouldn't take another breath until he was nothing but shreds of flesh on the cold hard ground.

That was what she wanted more than anything right now…

Only problem was, it was as if his cold, taunting words cast a spell on her mobility, because she couldn't move an inch. As much as she longed to, his words held her there. The only thing that moved were her white-hot tears of fury and agony as they streamed down her reddened face. "I SAID SHUT UP! YOU MURDERER!"

"Ah, I figured as much. But see, that's just the thing. Calling us murderers, is just a pot calling the tea kettle black. After all, you're a murderer as well are you not?"

"I-I DID WHAT I DID FOR- "

"For justice?! Hah! Right! But will the loved ones and families of the people on your hit list see it that way? The parents of that one little boy you took from them because I told you to that one time I had my doubts about you? Would they be so receptive to your _intentions_ if you told them that it was a necessary piece of an ugly puzzle you needed to prove a point and achieve justice for _your_ needs? Screw everyone else in the battlefield hm?"

She flinched as he mentioned her sin; that one assassination, her first ever, after needing to prove her utter worth and loyalty to Becker after Tanner and her baby were taken from her forever, she had taken the life of a child. It was quick and simple. She didn't know the boy, but the parents had crossed Becker in the worst way and since she was starting to become a suspicious blink on Becker's radar, she needed an opportunity. Just one. Just the flick of a silent trigger, a clear aim, without looking, without thinking, without…feeling…and her task would be complete in which in turn, would benefit her mission in the long run…

Screw the consequences…

Now, the consequences were eating her alive. She could still hear the screams and pleads and curses of the parents of that little boy in her ears, her mind, her soul. They were amazingly like the ones she gave when she found her whole family dead…

Roxanne flinched once more, putting her hands over her ears as if it would block the horrid, torturous sounds that made her want to fall to her knees. "NO! I-I-!"

"Hm yeah, ya know… he's got a point! It's amazing how we're so much more alike. Hell, at this point with all the lives you've destroyed, you might even be worse than us! You'd be better off just taking the whole organization for yourself bitch! It'd be much more purposeful than some worthless revenge craze seeing as how you're no different than we are, and it won't bring the people you love back, so what's the point?" Dylan taunted, joining his brother in the psychological torture he bestowed on Roxanne.

" **SHUT THE HELL UP! I WILL KILL YOU! ALL OF YOU! IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE! IT WILL! I WILL ACHIEVE JUSTICE FOR THEM ALL! ALL OF THEM! MY PARENTS, TANNER, MY BABY, THE OTHER PARENTS, ALL OF THE PEOPLE YOU HURT! ALL THE PEOPLE YOU MADE ME HURT! I WILL DESTROY YOU FOR ALL OF THEIR SAKES!"** Roxanne screamed.

"Oh, we have no doubt that you're gonna kill us. That's not the point, the point is that after everything, you will still fail regardless to get what you _really_ want to accomplish. Because more than anything, you want us to suffer for what we've done. You want to _make_ us _sorry_ , but that's the problem in your little long-term goal checklist my dear, cause the fact of the matter is… _we're not._ YOU might be for the many terrible iniquities you've caused, but us? Nope. And if we plead, or beg, or scream, because of whatever _Friday the 13_ _th_ torture you inflict on us with your little butter knife, it will only be because of the pain; not because we are remorseful. Therefore, despite what you do to us, you still fail no matter what."

Roxanne wanted more than anything to bite her tongue and keep silence, refusing to give the brothers the benefit of the doubt that they were getting to her. But her lip bled from biting down on it so hard as she tried to conceal her screams, only for them to tear from her throat as she cursed at the men and writhed, the voices in her head, the thoughts, the memories, their voices, the taunts, the choices, seared through her mind and tore her soul apart bit by bit. She tried to steady herself as she threw her kunai to the ground and pulled out her gun, the weapon heavy and trembling in her shaking hands as she aimed it at the brothers.

"Yes, go ahead! Have at it! Kill us. Tear us apart limb by limb. That is, if you have the guts and are ready to truly and officially be no different than we are." Devin taunted.

But the voices in her head continued.

" _ **I named you Grace for a reason…"**_

 _ **"You know why you're my favorite niece? You're one of the purest people who remind me what forgiveness and hope is all about…Before I thought it was corny that your mom gave you such a name, but…I see why now…Never lose that."**_

 _ **"Here. It's one of those ridiculous friendship bracelets you've been griping about. If you are truly going down the path my father has trained you for, then…hopefully, this will help remind you of who you are so that you don't lose yourself…So that I don't lose my best friend…"**_

" _I'm already lost."_ Roxanne hissed inwardly at the memories as they continued to tear through her mind. She tried to focus on getting a clear aim, but the voices continued.

"… _ **If anything happens to me…I just want, no, I need you to learn to be happy again. To try your absolute best. It's selfish and cruel of me to ask this but, what I'm trying to say is…if anything happens to me, no matter what, fight to be happy again. I want you to. And the way you do that, I want you to swear that…no matter what happens…you will NOT by any means, avenge or get revenge for me."**_

 _ **"-You couldn't let go…"**_

" _I'll never let go."_ Roxanne hissed inwardly once more.

" _ **But if justice is truly your endgame in this, how do you plan to get it done when all this is just going to result in nothing more than a big blood bath, most likely with yours in the mix?"**_

" _No! I will not fail!"_

" _ **Say you complete your so-called mission and kill everyone in this joint. Say you take out the snakes and hunt them down to their very nests. What will it change?"**_

" _EVERYTHING! I WON'T FAIL. NOT AGAIN! NOT THIS TIME!"_

" _ **WHERE IS THE JUSTICE THAT YOU BELIEVE, WILL REDEEM YOU AND MAKE IT ALL BETTER, GRACE?!"**_

 _ **"No matter what happens in this family, all that matters in the end is your happiness…"**_

" _DAMN IT! DAMN IT ALL!"_

Her finger hindered on the trigger…

"Yeah! M-make yourself an official Black Mamba, baby!" Dylan tried to join in, albeit reluctantly since he didn't know if her troubled psyche would end up killing him and his brother, but wanted to get his two-cents of victory in anyways.

Her aim was ready…

She was ready…

But then, a single memory blinked to the forefront of her mind.

* * *

 **Flashback to hours earlier…**

" _Here."_

 _Amanda Porter nee Clarke turned her gaze from the window of the parked white sedan onto the items in Roxanne's outstretched hand._

"' _Got you all the good stuff for when I was doin' my time with a kid. Smoked chicken and an avocado salad with the works, even threw in a chocolate dipped banana to fend off the pesky cravings."_

" _No…thank you. I'm not hungry." Amanda tried to politely decline, though she was still weary of the woman whom she had no choice but to trust as an ally if she wanted to get to her husband and best friend._

" _Well you might not be, but your kid probably is. You are eating for two now…or three, or more…I'm not sure if you've even had your first OB visit yet?"_

" _Not that it's any of your business, but I just recently found out so, no." Amanda snapped._

 _Roxanne put her hands up in defense. "Okay, okay! Lighten up woman, just trying to help. You gotta keep up your strength in times like these, or it will be hell getting to the second trimester. Trust me I know…or rather…_ _ **knew**_ _…" Roxanne finished bitterly._

 _Amanda softened her hardened expression as she remembered the conversation they had recently and put a reluctant yet remorseful hand on Roxanne's shoulder. "I'm sorry…"_

" _Don't mention it." Roxanne stated simply before opening her hand to reveal some pills. "You should take this too."_

 _She noticed Amanda's confused and weary stare and rolled her eyes. "Relax, they're prenatal vitamins. More so, the ones the doc prescribed for you. 'Found your prescription in your hotel room while we were doing the raid and thought since we were heading into town anyways that I might as well hit the pharmacy."_

" _Thanks…" Amanda nodded and took the vitamins along with the food, eating slowly, not wanting to upset her stomach since it was already filled with nerves._

" _So, you really just found out about your kid huh? Kind of weird to notice at the end of the first trimester if ya ask me." Roxanne joked, aiming to engage in small talk as she started eating her meal. She figured if they were going to head into a battlefield that was going to turn into a life or death situation with quite a messy outcome that they might was well keep their strength up by getting some takeout._

" _Situations happened where I couldn't possibly know until I got properly examined." Amanda replied shortly before reluctantly whispering, "In all honesty…this wasn't even supposed to be possible…"_

" _You've…been through a lot huh?" Roxanne softened, not wanting to pry any deeper, already figuring that the former revenger had been through a lot of suffering._

 _Amanda nodded before turning her head towards her. "I could say the same for you."_

 _Roxanne met her glance for a moment, appreciating her sympathy, before continuing to eat._

" _So…you're really going to go through with this?" Amanda asked once more though it was more of a statement._

 _Roxanne instantly knew what she was talking about: her plans to take down the Black Mambas organization as a whole and kill their leaders. "Yup."_

" _And then what's your plan afterwards?" Amanda asked once more._

 _Roxanne shrugged as she took another bite of her food. "Maybe just to ride out into the sunset until the oil change indicator light starts blinkin' again. I don't know, haven't gotten that far yet. I figure I'll just wing it."_

"… _And when you don't end up getting the peace and satisfaction you're thinking your justice is going to achieve or things go wrong, then what?" Amanda asked again, turning to look at her._

" _Excuse me?" Roxanne stopped eating to glare at her._

" _You heard me." Amanda continued, unflinching. "You may think that going all 'Blue Ruin' and killing these people is the answer as you thought killing others would help serve the bigger purpose of justice, but it's not. It's only going to destroy you in the end which in turn, finishes their mission of killing your entire family off in the first place, you included."_

" _You got some nerve trying to give some big 'revenge is bad for you' speech after everything I heard YOU'VE done! That's complete utter bullshi- "_

" _-You're right! That's why I'm telling you! I know from experience! I know what revenge can do! You may have been the_ _ **first**_ _, legendary, unspoken student of Takeda, but I was his_ _ **best**_ _. And I know what it's like to lose everything and give into retribution thinking that it's the only life support you have for your existence, having nowhere else to go or live for but that thirst for vengeance, and having that thirst become part of you until it takes over entirely. I also know the costs! It's too much of a price to pay! Not just for yourself but for everyone who ends up being involved in the process, unless you're truly ready to die! And truth be told, I don't think you are yet. I don't think you're ready to go that far; Ava Winters wasn't, you aren't, and I know, because…I wasn't either. I thought I was…"_

 _Roxanne scoffed and shook her head. "You're full of it you know that…To think…I almost sort of admired you…I always wanted to ask, how did she do it? How did someone like you with such finesse in your executions of vengeance end up happily ever after and have a fulfilling end? After everything how the actual fu- "_

" _-My father..." Amanda almost whispered. "He…helped convince me…There have been many instances where I wanted to give it all up, but…couldn't. Things kept getting worse, I lost people, justice was never served unless I did it no matter the costs, but things ended up being bigger than what I thought…I planned on even more than I couldn't…Costs were higher, there was no way out but to either conform to the consequences vengeance had…or forsake the path altogether by learning how to forgive…My father was proof that…I had much more to live for, despite everything…so was my husband, my son, my best friend…life was bigger than myself."_

 _Amanda barely recognized the tear that streamed down her face as she continued. "The potential and even chance to have some shed of happiness once again…after so much pain…it was a risk worth taking only if I wasn't ready to die yet…and after thinking that I had nothing to lose, I realized much later on after everything and after everyone I lost, my dog Sammy…My best friend who I loved as a sister…My husband's brother…Aiden…Daniel…so many innocent lives damaged and even destroyed…I realized that, I had EVERYTHING to lose if I continued…For upon embarking on a path of revenge, Confucius warns that you should dig two graves…However, he conveniently forgot to mention that it would already be in the midst of a cemetery…Because it is not just your life and your target's life alone that is at stake…I learned that the hard way… But every time I tried to let go, I was pulled right back in. Had it not been for my father, I would have known what it was truly like to lose absolutely everything down to my very soul. And I wasn't ready…That's how I know. You're not either."_

" _You're wrong. I'm already gone." Roxanne stated in a dead tone, trying to ignore the sensation of her burning eyes as she looked away from Amanda, trying not to let her words get to her. She knew in the depths of her hardened and ice cold soul that she was right…But she had come too far to stop._

 _Not now…maybe not ever._

" _Then why are you helping me?" Amanda whispered as she looked down, fists clenched; angry at the woman's stubbornness as it reminded her of the dark person she used to be._

" _What?" Roxanne blinked at the question since it caught her off guard._

" _I said why?! Why waste your time in helping me?! I'm not stupid! I know that completing long-term goals and executing vengeance as well as you're planning don't call for setbacks or distractions since emotions are hindrances unless you use them as weapons in the long run. So why do something so selfless as keep me alive, take care of me, and help me with my family, when you get no possible advantage in return?! If anything, it's a disadvantage! It's a waste of needed time!_ _So why?!_ _" Amanda all but thundered._

" _ **I NEEDED TO SEE IF SHE WAS STILL THERE!"**_ _Roxanne shouted, almost slapping a hand to her mouth, cursing her hasty reply before relenting. "I…needed to see if she was still there…"_

" _Who?" Amanda asked softly, giving the older woman a knowing gaze since she had a good idea of who she was talking about._

"… _Grace Adams…" Roxanne sighed shakenly with a helpless shrug. "I just…I just needed to see…needed to know if whether that kind, quirk, crazy, cry if you swat a fly, pre-teen was still there…"_

 _Amanda nodded with understanding. "And…what was going to be your plan once you discovered she still existed?"_

" _Recognize it…Acknowledge her…I figured by taking the time out to help you and your family that maybe it'd be a way of doing that…A requiem if you will. I just wanted to recognize her one last time before…I'd say goodbye to her forever…" Roxanne muttered, her voice cracking._

" _Are you ready to say goodbye to her?" Amanda asked softly once more, knowing the answer as she put a hand to her shoulder trying to soothe the broken woman beside her._

" _No." Roxanne whispered, shaking her head, before her tear-filled eyes steeled bitterly. "But I have no choice."_

 _Amanda shook her head slowly. "You have a choice…You seem ready for it…I just wonder if you're truly prepared for the consequences that go with it. Because once you lose yourself to gain the upper hand on your enemy's side, that's exactly what your new identity will become…" Amanda explained quietly with resolution as she looked out the window once more, glaring at the thought of her long-gone enemy whose polished and prideful appearance flashed into her mind in that instant._

 _Roxanne lost the will to retort to her comment and instead started up the car as they hit the highway once more, her ally's words still fresh in her mind, haunting her…_

 **End Flashback.**

* * *

Her aim was perfect…

Her position was perfect…

The moment was perfect…

She just needed to pull the trigger. Make it happen.

Make all the wasted and long a-waited years of her life come to fruition…

" _ **Upon embarking on a path of revenge, Confucius warns that you should dig two graves…However, he conveniently forgot to mention that it would be in the midst of a cemetery…It is not just your life and your target's life alone that is at stake…I learned that the hard way…"**_

The image of the sad yet loving smile on Tanner Scott's face that he gave her right before the building exploded came into her mind…

Hot tears streamed down Roxanne's face as it blurred her vision, but she still could see perfectly enough to send a bullet right into the smirking brothers' heads.

She steeled herself once more.

"This only proves how you are no different than we are. So please, go ahead and complete your utter transition. We. Have. No. Regrets." Devin Becker smirked.

As if struck by lightning by that comment, Roxanne froze.

" _ **I just wonder if you're truly prepared for the consequences that go with it. Because once you lose yourself to gain the upper hand on your enemy's side, that's exactly what your new identity will become…"**_

"No way in hell…" She muttered as she shakenly lowered the gun. "I'm not you…I refuse…"

"Aww did someone have a change of heart. I knew she didn't have the guts hah!" Dylan laughed.

Roxanne sent a powerful kick to the man's face, making him cry out.

"Death would be too merciful for you bastards! As much as you deserve it, it will not be by my hand. I've done enough. I refuse to be like you sons of bitches! I'm going to make sure you live your life in complete and utter hell until death takes over someday and sends you there for real! So, new plan. We'll wait here like good little scouts and when the cops come, confess to every single crime starting from when you founded your snake charmer club, to the massacre of my family, and we'll all do our time. I'll make sure of it. Cause if I gotta go down with you jerks, I'm making sure you stay down and out!" Roxanne proclaimed.

If his hands weren't bound and bloodied, Devin Becker would have clapped. Instead, he chortled once more. "What a noble gesture…completely utterly selfless. Too bad it's only going to end up in your demise. I must say, you were better off _activating self-destruction._ "

Before she could open her mouth to retort, or raise her foot to kick the man, her words got caught in her throat as a computer voice suddenly echoed throughout the basement.

 _ **COMMANDER VOICE: RECOGNIZED. ACTIVATING SELF-DESTRUCTION SEQUENCE. NOW.**_

"Oh, did I forget to mention the new voice recognition technology installments with a complementary self-destruct and override mode I had the tech boys make at the last minute? I believe we had it installed the day you were out of town doing god knows what last week. I was gonna run it by you the day we found Ross, and certainly had no intentions of using it so soon, but…plans change." Becker smirked.

" **YOU-!"** Roxanne screamed.

" **YOU MEAN YOU COULDA USED IT ALL THIS TIME WHILE OUR ASSES WERE BEING HANDED TO US?! WHY DID YOU WAIT SO LONG YOU STUPID FU-!"** Dylan shouted furiously.

"-I guess I just wanted to see how far this all would go and the purpose of our dear second in command's betrayal. And besides, you know me and how I feel about surprises…Which, apologies in advance my dear brother, but business is business. _Override floor controls_." Devin stated calmly, before rolling out of the way.

 _ **COMMANDER VOICE: RECOGNIZED. OVERRIDING FLOOR CONTROLS.**_

Before anyone could make any movements, Roxanne barely had the time to jump out of the way before the floors shifted automatically once more, creating a long wedge between her platform and the brothers'. But while Devin rolled expertly out of the way, Dylan wasn't so lucky. His agonizing screams echoed throughout the room as he fell into the pit of deathly snakes. Roxanne slapped a hand to her mouth in shock at the sight and then scrambled to reach for the gun she lowered earlier. Screw her earlier plan. But by the time she could search for another route to get over on the other side of the platform, she could barely utter out a single curse word as her eyes widened in total horror at the sight of the lone bloodstained floor and the absence of the crumpled body that was lying there.

Roxanne shook her head as she screamed. "No…No-no-no-NO! NO! **NOOO!** "

But it was too late…

For somehow, Devin Becker had managed to escape…

* * *

 **Meanwhile in a hallway section of the warehouse basement's corridor…**

Nolan Ross and his two married best friends continued to run through the long hallway of the basement, desperately trying to follow the directions that Roxanne gave Jack earlier that would lead them to an escape route, when suddenly, Amanda froze in her place, gasping sharply as she kneeled over, holding her stomach.

"Amanda?!" Jack turned around and ran to his wife who was now throwing up. "Are you alright?!"

"I-I'm fine. I just…need to stop for a minute…" She breathed, wiping her mouth with her sleeve once she finished.

"Uh guys? I don't exactly think we have the luxury of time to be taking a break…" Nolan said, anxiety clear in his voice.

"We're making time then! She can't keep going full-throttle here Nolan, in case you've forgotten, she's pregnant!" Jack snapped harshly.

"Cool it Jackie! I'm not the bad guy here! I'm just as concerned for her as you are!" Nolan snapped back.

"Well you suck at showing it!" Jack glared.

"BOTH OF YOU! PLEASE!" Amanda snapped, still trying to catch her breath. Her husband rubbed her back in comfort as an apology, before shooting Nolan a remorseful glance. "Sorry man…"

"D-don't mention it. I'm sorry too. 'Guess we're all on the fritz here, but it'll all be over, soon right?" Nolan tried to smile.

"Right…" Jack nodded, trying to reassure himself as he checked on his wife. "You gonna be okay?"

Amanda nodded, standing up straight to put a hand to his shoulder. "I'm fine…Just got a little dizzy there…I'll be good to go in a minute guys, I just…needed to stop for a moment."

"Sure Ams! We've got all the time in the world to blow this joint. I mean, I'm sure there's no rush, right?" Nolan replied light-heartedly, trying to reassure himself as he put his hands behind his head and stretched.

 _ **COMMANDER VOICE: RECOGNIZED. ACTIVATING SELF-DESTRUCTION SEQUENCE. NOW.**_

" _Me and my lovely big mouth…SHI-! "_ Nolan's inward cursing halted as he gulped uncomfortably, meeting the now horrified widened eyes of his best friends. "Uh…I think it's safe to say that break time's over now guys. We need to go. Like… _ **now.**_ "

* * *

 **Back in the lower part of the basement…**

Roxanne failed to stop trembling as she kept her gun pointed, shifting her position from left, right, to behind every few seconds as she carefully maneuvered out of the lower part of the basement and onto the main basement floors. While Devin Becker's unexpected wild card was played, she barely noticed him rolling out of the way of the shifting floors and seemingly into an open passageway. That was when she realized the system that Becker installed. Even though he never discussed installing it with her at the time, she was one of the members on the team that went over the specs so she was familiar with its design to a point. She figured that the fancy escape route implanted for certain emergencies would transport Becker to another part of the warehouse.

Where it took him, she wasn't sure.

That was the disadvantage.

However, she figured, since she put him in a fair amount of pain, that his bloody trail would suffice as clues to his possible whereabouts along with the fact that mobility for him would be an issue since his kneecaps were still shot to hell.

" _The infirmary storage… There's gotta be wheelchairs there that he'd need to get around…So, he can't be too far off."_ Roxanne surmised as she put her back up against a nearby wall. The thought of the infirmary made her frown with worry. _"I hope Amy and the gang aren't there still…That…that would really suck."_ She shook her head, attempting to reassure herself. _"No. Get a hold of yourself Roxy. I'm sure Amy and the others are far gone from here by now. I gave her hubs some solid directions. They're fine. They're safe."_

 _ **COMMANDER VOICE: RECOGNIZED. SEALING ALL ESCAPE ROUTES. NOW.**_

Roxanne's eyes widened. "OH SHI-!"

 _ **INITIATING SHUTDOWN OF ALL DOORS AND EXITS. NOW.**_

" _THAT BASTARD! But wait, that means he's shut in as well! Okay. Don't panic. That's a good thing. He-he's not goin' anywhere. There couldn't possibly be a backup plan that fast. He knows I'm here. He's comin' after me and then he'll commence an escape route for himself. He has no choice. I still got an ass load of dirt on him so he's got to get rid of the evidence, which I have, before he can even think of covering his ass effectively...I'm his main target so I just need find an alternative. Gotta find him, before he finds me."_ Roxanne thought as she felt around in her blazer jacket's pocket for a particular item that she knew would turn things around in her favor. Once she found what she was looking for, she smirked to herself in satisfaction and continued to jumble plans around in her mind.

Once she knew what to do, she wasted no time in moving from her position and carefully scanned the area once more. She was so rooted in her thoughts, she nearly missed the sudden, loud crack of a gunshot, or tasted the strange metallic flavor caused by the bright red liquid that was now spewing freely from her abdomen and mouth. She shakenly put a hand to the wound only to see her hand covered in fresh blood as she finally fell to the ground, the pool of blood spreading profusely. Her vision was starting to blur as she saw three figures coming towards her, one of them shouting her name.

* * *

With their hearts thundering hard in their chests, the three best friends continued to make it through the basement's hallway, confusing turns and directions in moments of pure anxiety as they remembered the sudden computer voice that announced a self-destruct message which only meant instant death if they didn't get the hell out of there. Amanda's nauseating condition only worsened matters as she tried to toughen out the dizzying sensations that pregnancy and pressures were creating for her.

Just when they thought things couldn't get any worse…

 _ **INITIATING SHUTDOWN OF ALL DOORS AND EXITS. NOW.**_

"No…N-no! No! No! NO! DAMN IT! NO!" Nolan all but shouted.

"DAMN IT ALL! W-we gotta keep going! I-it might not be too late!" Jack cursed, but then tried to reason desperately, running a hand through his hair that was now slightly slicked back with sweat. He then noticed that his wife's breathing patterns were hasty and getting shorter. He gently, but firmly grasped her by the shoulders, looking her straight in her worried eyes. "Look at me, w-we'll make it out of here. You hear me? _WE WILL!_ "

Amanda nodded, trying to calm herself down and steady her breathing pattern. She knew he was desperate to reassure himself as much as her at that point. "We-we need to hurry. Now."

Suddenly, the loud crack of a gunshot sounded off startling all three of them.

"What was that?! It sounded nearby!" Nolan fearfully exclaimed.

"You don't think…" Jack looked at his wife.

"Oh no. Oh my god! ROXANNE!" Amanda's eyes widened in horror as she suddenly found the strength to push herself forward ahead of the men and run towards the sound of the shot.

"AMANDA! WAIT! STOP!" Jack called after her as he and Nolan ran to catch up to her.

The three then suddenly froze in their places as their eyes beheld the horrible sight of a dark cladded curvaceous figure crumpled on the ground in a pool of blood.

"ROXANNE!" Amanda ran to the crumpled form, barely noticing the tears that were spilling from her eyes. "No! No Grace! Oh Grace! Oh my god!" Jack knelt beside his wife, his eyes growing misty at the sight as well.

Still going in and out of consciousness, Roxanne managed to turn her wearied eyes towards Amanda and her husband and coughed as she tried to form words. "Well…I'd be damned…Aw shi-you…you're not supposed to be here Amy…what the hell?"

"D-don't speak, Grace. W-we need to get you out of here…How? How did this happen?!" Amanda nearly demanded as she removed her jacket to try to put pressure on Roxanne's fatal wound.

"Plan went…to shi-ah! Don't…say I told…you…so…but, I…decided to go the mercy route…didn't go like I wanted it to…Look. There's no time…You…you need to get out of here." Roxanne coughed.

"Roxanne…" Jack shook his head.

Roxanne managed to shake her head slightly. "It's Grace. C-call me Grace. Apparently…she…still exists in me after all...Look. I…meant what I said…You need to get out of here…All of you. This place…it's gonna blow."

Roxanne who now wanted to be known as Grace recognized their panic and continued before they could say anything. "Devin…had a backup plan…an installment made to completely wipe out the organization and clear any evidence of his crimes…he's using a specific type of explosive…it's wired to make it look like an accident…same one…I did…when Tanner…It should…go off in an hour…or so…" Grace's explanation was cut short by another coughing fit.

She knew her time was running out.

"He-the-the bastard shut down all the exit routes!" Nolan managed to point out.

"There's…another way…A section…of the basement…that…opened up to the main floors…the ceiling is open from this floor…but it's covered in wooden crates...Leads…to a window…You can break…and get out…While you have time…but…you need to find it…fast." Grace explained.

"H-how're we supposed to do this, y-you might bleed out by the time we get to that section!" Amanda said, still trying to apply pressure to her wound. But to no avail.

"N-no worries about that. Cause' I'm not going…It's…pretty obvious that…it's over for me." Grace muttered.

"Grace…" Amanda whispered.

"Don't. There's no time…nothing can be done. Just…get out of here. You must. You know it." Grace coughed once more before hesitating. "But…if you really want to pull the 'how can we repay you' card…then…I guess I have…a last request?"

"Anything." Amanda, Jack, and Nolan said at the same time, knowing the unfortunate fact that there was nothing more they could do for their fallen friend.

"In my pocket…there's…a f-flash drive…it…contains reports…videos…files…evidence of every crime…those bastards…have ever committed…I was…able to get it all…on camera…even before…Tanner came in the picture…It's enough…to take them down…and all of the Black Mamba organization…as a whole…It will…destroy them to its roots…I'd have been worried about the incriminating evidence against me as well despite me being behind the scenes…but…looks like I don't have to be now…" Grace tried to joke only to go into another coughing fit, this one including blood.

She reached a trembling hand out to grasp Amanda's shoulder in desperation. "Please…I know…it's a lot to ask but…please…I need you to get this to the authorities…Please…I know your revenge days are over, but…I need you all…to finish my fight…Please…Knowing those bastards will be put away…their deeds destroyed…is all the hope I've got left now…For my sake, my family's sake, my baby's sake…Please…"

Amanda grasped the woman's hand, resolution clear in her tear-filled eyes. "I promise."

"We promise." Jack corrected. "Justice will be served on your behalf, Grace."

Nolan nodded as well.

Grace wanted to smile so bad. But then she desperately reached over to her wrist and struggled to snap off her bracelet, placing it into Amanda's hand. "And…please…if you could…do me a solid…and…tell Niko…I'm sorry…that…I finished…and that…I l-love her…she-she'll know…what it means…"

"I will." Amanda nodded, not bothering to wipe away her tears.

Grace's bloodstained lips finally managed to turn into a smile as her tearful eyes glistened into Amanda's. "Thank you…so much…if I had time…I'd…make you…a friendship bracelet too…I cannot…begin to repay…your kindness…all of you…"

"You've done enough Grace…" Amanda tried to smile through her tears. "You helped us all. If anything, we're the ones in your debt." Her husband nodded in agreement as he rubbed his wife's shoulder in comfort.

"Well, yeah…I guess…in that case…one more request?" Grace turned her heavy eyes to both Amanda and Jack as they looked upon her with saddened eyes, expectantly.

She wanted so badly to say, _"Live a good life. Be happy. Live the life that I and my family could have had, but can't ever have. Have a healthy and happy baby. Complete your family. Remember my legacy, and continue to live happily ever after like you deserve…Like I wish I deserved…"_ But the words got caught in her throat as she realized that her time had run out and she was growing more exhausted and colder by the second. And not to mention the fact that she failed to inform her new best friends of the ongoing danger of Becker still being at large…But there was no time…She wished time would stop in its place as she wished so many times before in the past, but time was a merciless master and she had run out of it. She knew their chances were slim…hope was waning…but she couldn't help but just…wish…

And so, taking a shaking breath as a tear streamed down her now pale cheek, she whispered her final request to them both.

" _ **Don't die…"**_

Feeling the woman go limp in her arms, Amanda scrambled as the woman failed to reply to her calls. "Grace? Grace?! No…n-no…we…Jack c-come on help me out here…we…we need to hurry and get her to a hospital…"

"Am…" Jack started, his voice cracking.

"I know it's risky to move her, but…w-we don't have a choice. Just…Just lift her gently and-"

"-Amanda…" Jack tried again, heaviness clear in his tone.

"C-come on! Don't just stand there! Help me out! W-we need to get her out of here! We need to!" Amanda was flailing in her husband's arms as she tried to reach for her friend.

"AMANDA! STOP!" His voice rose with despair as he held his wife. "She-she's gone…"

Amanda froze for a moment, only to tighten her grip on her husband as she sobbed into his shirt. Jack ignored the searing pain of his injured shoulder and just continued to hold her without a word, not bothering to wipe his own tears away.

It was moments like these where Amanda wished she didn't care so much for people that mattered to her in her life. It seemed like she was always facing loss one way or another. She didn't find it silly since she barely knew Grace Adams, but the woman reminded her so much of herself, the woman she used to be, the woman who was going to have the same unfortunate fate had she continued her path of revenge, and she tried desperately to save her form such a fate, and almost succeeded, but…fate had other plans…Again. Realizing who was the cause of this loss, Amanda's bloodshot eyes steeled as she rose from her husband's chest. "We…we can't let them get away with this. We can't." She muttered bitterly.

"I know. I know and they won't. But for the sake of her legacy, and justice, and especially, for our children…we need to go. Now." Jack instructed firmly. Amanda nodded in reply, turning to Nolan who also nodded in agreement, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Let's go…" Amanda mumbled, sniffling as she shot her lifeless friend one last look, before she would move forwards again, without turning back.

* * *

And so, deep within the confines of a dark, frigid, and abandoned warehouse basement, three figures, two men and a woman, could be seen running and climbing up multiple heavy wooden crates that cluttered the area, desperately trying to reach the dust covered window high above them that would lead to their freedom as time worked against them with every second that passed.

The first man paused reluctantly as he tried to process the physical taxing task before him of climbing up the wooden crates that although led to their desired escape, were positioned even higher and slightly off balance, posing as an infuriating risk for not only him, since physical and athletic skills were not really his bests strengths, but for the man and woman that lagged behind him also. The other man shared his look of slight panic while simultaneously trying to keep the woman calm with his reassuring grip on her hand, and holding his still bleeding shoulder.

The first man then turned his fearful gaze to the woman, as if hoping and praying that she would be the answer for the problem at hand or at least the source for a valuable solution, but his dismay only worsened as she too shared a look of fear and slight hopelessness within her eyes that were heavy with exhaustion.

The merciless ticking sound that resonated from the unexpected explosive not too far off increased the stress and severity of the situation as they were all reminded of their impending demise.

Time was of the essence…

Their hearts raced faster and their eyes widened with horror as the bomb continued to countdown…

"Okay…Grace…she-she said we had like an hour right?" Nolan asked, trying to gather his thoughts that were in a frenzy.

Jack sucked in a hiss from his throbbing shoulder and turned to face his friend, still squeezing his wife's hand in reassurance, desperate to ease her already troubled state."Probably less now. If this is our only way out, then we need to at least find a way to get steady ground. There's no way in hell I'm taking a chance of sending Ams up these crates. They look like they could fall over any second!"

"Have…you heard anything from the others?" Amanda asked Nolan, trying to keep her balance. Exhaustion was taking its toll on her and it was hitting her hard.

"Not yet. Then again, I haven't had the chance to check my phone so I'll see if I can find a good spot for reception really quick. You guys wait here for a second." Nolan muttered as he walked off with his phone and his friends' phones in hand once more.

Finding themselves alone once again, Jack turned to his wife. "Hey…Remember what I said. We're going to make it through this." He reassured her softly as he touched her shoulder gently.

 _ **It has been said that life is unpredictable and full of surprises…**_

Amanda gazed into his weary, blue eyes that glistened with waning hope. She stared almost lifelessly at him, still not over the loss and their traumatic situation at hand, and still very much exhausted, but managed to nod softly at him as she grasped his other hand. "I hope so…"

" _Well I wouldn't get my hopes up too high then if I were you."_

The couple barely had time to gasp in horror at the terrorizing low-toned voice before they found themselves staring at the barrel of a gun.

The following moments went faster than the blink of an eye for Amanda Porter nee Clarke...

The feeling of Jack Porter's body instantly diving over hers without a second thought…

The desperate and horrified shout of her name…

The sound of two merciless gunshots going off…

Bloodshed…

Silence…

Darkness…

 _ **If that's truly the case, then assumptions must be one of life's evil phenomenons…**_

 **To be continued.**


	14. Final chapter part 1

**A/N: Wanted to get this done on my birthday, which was officially 2 days ago...but yeah, I had a lot to write so...Merry Belated Christmas? (And for any kind-hearted souls out there who can write, can you please do this poor Jemily fan a favor and write a short Jemily fic for the belated birthday girl? Anybody? No?...Okay. Well can't blame me for trying. Lol anyways, here ya go guys. First part of the final chapter starts now. Special thanks goes to all my readers who will just "love" me after this, and my writing partner. Okay. Let's do this...**

* * *

 _The following moments went faster than the blink of an eye for Amanda Porter nee Clarke..._

 _The feeling of Jack Porter's body instantly diving over hers without a second thought…_

 _The desperate and horrified shout of her name…_

 _The sound of two merciless gunshots going off…_

 _Bloodshed…_

 _Silence…_

 _Darkness…_

…Suddenly, all was at a standstill…

The only noises that broke the ghostly silence in that moment were the thundering sounds of heartbeats and the sharp, harsh intakes of breathing…

And yet, those very sounds served as a comforting evidence that somehow, Amanda Porter was indeed still alive. Her eyes that were clenched shut and caused the darkness of the scenery suddenly opened with a rapidity that was almost painful as she scanned her surroundings, mainly her stomach as her hands automatically ran over her semi-flat form in reassurance that she and the life growing inside of her were still existing. Before she could breathe in relief, her eyes widened and she whipped her head around desperately to check on her husband; the source of the weight that was still on top of her body; terrified of the unknown answer of whether he took the lethal damage instead of her…

Hoping…Pleading…Praying that wasn't the case…

"J-Jack?" Amanda muttered in a cracked voice barely above a whisper. Normally, she'd hate how weak and helpless her voice sounded in such a state, but now, she didn't give a damn.

What she did care about was the horrifying sight of bloodstains in front of her and the heavy weight that was still on top of her, but had yet to move.

"Jack?! A-are you alright?!" She cried, already feeling anxiety take over, until she took a chance and peeked over his form only to hear him mumble.

"Oh, my god…"

Before she could take a breath in relief that her husband was alive, or scold him for not saying anything in the first place, she noticed his frozen state and saw him staring wide-eyed in shock at something. Once she followed the source of his gaze, her eyes widened as well.

"Oh, my god…" She muttered.

There, in a growing pool of blood on the ground laid Devin Becker with two bullet holes imbedded in his chest. And behind the couple, stood a trembling Nolan Ross with a 357 magnum still smoking in his outstretched hand.

The ghostly silence continued, broken only by the ticking sound of the explosive…

"Uh…I-I g-guess a-all of those t-times at the sh-shooting range came in handy after all?" Nolan tried to joke shakenly.

But to no avail…

His friends just continued to stare at the dead body.

"I…I really just killed him, didn't I?" Nolan gulped and asked timidly, the realization of his actions hitting him full force.

His friends finally brought their gazes reluctantly towards him; empathy now clearly mixed within their shock.

"…O-oh, my god…" Nolan mumbled before dropping the gun to the ground, trembling even more than before to the point where he lost his balance. His friends finally snapped out of it and rose to support him before he could fall over.

* * *

 **Earlier, back in New York…**

 _ **When we encounter a time where life flows at a settled pace like an undisturbed river, it is easy to see what is up ahead…**_

 _ **We may even try to predict certain things with a surety whether based upon past experiences or just how things appear at the moment, that we will be right no matter what…**_

 _ **We believe that our perspective is correct and that our assumptions hold value…**_

Something was off…

Call it her intuition but as she sat at the little round table near the back corner of what James had told her was his favorite restaurant, Charlotte couldn't help shifting uncomfortably in her seat as her eyes kept wandering back towards the door entrance every time somebody new walked in.

This was supposed to be a reassurance lunch, where James and herself regrouped and set about a new plan for taking down "Dr. Dirty" as she so called him in her head.

However, she was feeling anything but reassured…

He was now 47 minutes late and counting, and thinking about it, he'd been acting paranoid yesterday, deleting her number from his phone and his from hers. He'd said it was safer that way since the doctor knew they were now working together. He'd then told her he'd explain properly at lunch tomorrow but that he needed a little _time_.

Time for what, she foolishly hadn't asked…

He had seemed so confident, so assured…so resolved, his usual confliction and anger having diminished from his composure, that she had felt able to trust him to his own devices.

Thinking about it now though, it was almost as though he had accepted…

"Excuse me, are you Charlotte Clarke?" A young waiter with scruffy black hair and bright green speckled eyes asked, interrupting Charlotte from her worrying thoughts only to inadvertently remind her of how beautiful James's forest green eyes had looked up close when their faces were but inches apart after the hungry kiss he had stolen from her lips. She'd been equally mesmerized and pained gazing into them. A person's eyes were the windows to their soul, as the saying so went, and James' dark eyes had held such pain and confusion in them.

"Y-yes." Charlotte answered, noting the unsteadiness in her own voice, as she looked apprehensively at this waiter who then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white envelope, handing it to her before simply walking away. Charlotte Clarke stared at it for a long while, this little white envelope with not even her name written on the front.

 _ **But assumptions are never absolute…**_

She stared at it as her chest began to tighten and her body grew weak.

She wasn't naïve.

She knew what this was but she was stupid, for she had stared deep into his eyes but had not seen just how buried his soul had become under the rubble of all his festering pain and anger.

 _ **And when we turn out to be wrong, control slips through our grasp…**_

Remembering her own feelings of similar pain and experience many years ago, that ended up with her nearly losing her balance in heels on the edge of a building, she put two and two together and suddenly felt the sensation of her eyes stinging…burning…

 _ **Leaving us helpless…**_

"… _I'm sorry James…"_ Charlotte found herself whispering aloud over the painful lump that had formed in her throat. Her hands shook as she pulled out the letter from the envelope trying to hold back the hot silent tears she felt threatening to slide down her now paled cheeks as her frantic eyes scanned the page, her eyes settled on the first three words he had written on the paper: _ **I'**_ _ **m sorry Charlotte**_ _ **.**_

… _ **And at a loss for what to do next…**_

* * *

 **Back in the warehouse basement…**

Though it were only mere minutes, it felt like hours from the moment Nolan barely noticed his best friends practically dragging him away into another corridor of the basement, supporting his every move, baring his weight with their arms since he felt like he suddenly forgot how to walk or even how to breathe for that matter. But his mind was churning perfectly.

Especially when it came to a certain mental image…

A dark cladded, battered appearance of a man trundling ever so stealthily in a wheelchair, the glimmering rim of the wheels catching the corner of his eye before he heard the demonic chortle of his tone and the flickering of a trigger.

It all happened so fast…

All he could remember was whipping his head around to see _his_ Sensei and her husband, _his_ two best friends, _his family_ trapped in the range of sudden death; for them and their unborn child…

For _his_ niece and or nephew…

Hell no.

Not on his watch.

Before he could even blink, he desperately shouted for his sensei sister, but it wasn't as if it would help anything.

Her "deer-caught-in-headlights" frozen state as Jack desperately dived over her affirmed that there was nothing she could do…

But he could.

The next thing he knew, the 357 magnum he acquired was not only drawn and ready, but fired with a protective vengeance. And then, all he could see was the wheelchair rolling back slowly, hitting one of the crates, knocking it over as it left a faint trail of red originating from the unmoving body surrounded in blood.

Nothing but blood…

His friends were safe…

 _His family_ was safe…

His niece and or nephew was safe…

But along with that comforting fact came one that was not so comforting…

The all great, intelligent, and quirky Nolan Ross had just committed murder…

To say that it was a hard pill for him to swallow would be nothing short of a cruel underestimation.

Amanda leaned against the wall, watching her best friend as her husband stood next to her with folded arms, keeping his eye on both.

Still very aware of the imminent danger they were all in, and hating the silence of the moment along with observing the broken state of her best friend whom she loved like a brother, Amanda sighed and softly muttered, "…Nolan…Are you-"

"-Don't." Jack interrupted his wife gently while slightly holding up his hand, shaking his head, the normal brightness of his blue eyes, now dulled and hazed over. "Don't ask if he's okay…He's…unfortunately not going to be…at least for a while…"

Amanda gave a look of understanding before shaking her head slightly and looking down, letting out a shaky sigh. As much as she understood the feelings of guilt, pain, loss, and inflicting damage, she couldn't truly say that she understood the trauma and severity that Nolan was going through right now...

But her husband understood perfectly.

She could only look on as Jack carefully bent down to Nolan's curled up position on the ground as he continued to stare into nothing.

"Nolan…I know how hard this is to grasp right now. I've been where you've been before, you know that. I…I wish I could promise that it'd get better or get easier but I can't. I can say that it will become manageable with time…But until then…and as much as this pains me to ask since I know this is hell for you right now, but we need to still get out of here. _We really need you_ _right now… "_ Jack treaded carefully.

Logically, Nolan understood and agreed with Jack's point of view of still needing to get out of danger and took heed to his plead to somehow suck it up and put the trauma on the back burner until later. He especially appreciated that he knew where he was coming from by experience. But the trauma was too much to bear, and his emotional state was a wreck.

He couldn't make a move if he tried.

"I-I _killed_ someone…" Nolan muttered.

"It was warranted. Self-defense!" Amanda corrected firmly, unable to stay silent any longer. "Becker was going to kill us and if you didn't get to him first then- "Amanda paused, looking away painfully, imagining the worst-case scenario before bending down to hug Nolan gently, whispering tearfully.

"…He would have killed us all…You, me, Jack…our _baby, your_ niece and or nephew…" She looked him straight in his eyes, cupping his face with her hands, desperate to make him understand as tears streamed down both of their faces. _"You saved our lives Nolan…Don't you_ _ **ever**_ _regret that."_

Nolan looked into Amanda's glittering yet burning brown eyes; seeing nothing but raw emotion that confirmed the truth of her statement. He looked over his shoulder at Jack who nodded firmly, his gratitude towards him setting off a spark that brought color to his dulled blue eyes. After a moment of silence, he finally nodded wordlessly, looking back at his sensei sister before his pained expression hardened with newfound determination.

"Let's go."

He still felt the pain of it all.

It was still there.

He knew that, unfortunately, it wasn't going to be going away anytime soon.

But that's what distractions in life were for right?

So, steeling his expression, Nolan ignored the numbness and tingling of his legs, stood up, and walked towards another part of the basement, nodding his head for his friends to follow him. Amanda wanted to frown, crestfallen at the sight of her best friend, knowing that usually this would be the moment where he'd throw in a light-hearted joke or quip about "blowing this serpent crazed battlefield" as he mentioned earlier, but she knew she shouldn't be surprised at Nolan's dispirited aura.

Things were never going to be the same.

But the determination to keep them safe was clear in his ocean colored eyes and he was willing to push on for the team. Seeing the reluctance in Amanda's eyes as her husband helped her to her feet, Nolan managed to crack a very faint yet sincere smile as reassurance.

A sign that he hadn't fully lost himself in the despair.

Well, at least it was better than nothing.

* * *

The explosive continued to countdown…

Nolan and Jack focused on getting in touch with Javier, their phone signals weak yet still managing to pull through with the app he and Javier set up years ago. While Nolan kept trying to get a clear signal, Jack focused on trying to keep track of the time that had passed as the explosive continued to tick.

Meanwhile, not too far away from them, Amanda shifted uncomfortably as she sat near one of the wooden crates, eventually deciding that she needed to walk around a bit. She ended up wandering off on her own while they were distracted. She wanted to walk around the corridor to survey the area and see if there was another way they could all escape through the inconveniently positioned window that would lead to their freedom; but instead, found herself on the other side of the wall secluded, desperate to find the right facility to answer nature's imminent call that would not be denied and tempted her to make use of the empty water bottle she had in her backpack if she didn't do something soon. Luckily, she found a restroom that was conveniently down the hall and sighed as she relieved herself, only to suck in a sharp hiss of pain. Her breath patterns grew haste as she tied to control the painful sensations that suddenly panged her body, but to no avail.

A sickening, soul wrenching feeling threatened to strike her heart of what that pain could possibly mean, but she fought hard to push it down, figuring that it was just her not used to the cramping pain that came with uterus expansion in the beginning stages of pregnancy. Finishing up, she made it back to the others and found her husband next to Nolan, a contemplative and reluctant look on his face. Before she could ask if he was alright, she heard him sigh before he steeled himself and looked at Nolan.

"Nolan…I'm sorry to ask this, but…I have to know. Where did you get the gun?"

"Jack!" Amanda scolded, knowing that now was not the time to bring up any unpleasant moments for Nolan.

"I-it's okay, Ams. It's…it's best if you know anyways…" Nolan replied solemnly before turning to face his friends. He took a deep breath before explaining everything.

* * *

 **Flashback to 20 minutes earlier…**

" _Let's go…" Amanda mumbled, sniffling as she shot her lifeless friend one last look, before she would move forwards again, without turning back._

 _Her husband followed her without question, clearly dismayed as he caught up to her and wrapped his uninjured arm around her shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. Nolan gave the beautiful yet broken, fallen woman one last look of remorse before turning to trail behind his friends when suddenly…_

" _R-Ross…"_

 _Nolan froze in his tracks for a moment before he thought that his mind was playing a cruel and ironic game. He shrugged off the raspy whisper he thought he'd just heard and started walking once more._

" _R-Ross!"_

 _Nolan quickly turned around to see the bleeding woman struggle with another coughing fit, her pale hand stretched out as far as she could manage towards his direction. He knew his mind wasn't playing games for sure now and ran towards Grace, dropping down to her level._

" _A-about t-time T-T-Tech…G-geek! I-I was trying…to get your…attention…Listen…c-carefully...I-"_

 _Nolan held back the urge to roll his eyes at her faint yet obvious snarky tone and instead winced as she coughed up more blood. He knew that whatever she had to say was urgent, and something that apparently had to do with him but he was unsure of whether the message would be delivered as death seemed ready to claim the woman at any time._

 _With great struggle and determination, the woman shakenly pointed to her 357 magnum that laid discarded a few feet from her. "M-my gun."_

 _Nolan figured out her charade gesture and reluctantly picked up the gun that had some of her blood splashed on it._

" _T-take it." She grunted out._

 _Nolan looked at her as if she had two heads. Before he could protest, she continued._

" _P-protect them. Y-you h-have to p-protect Amy." She almost pleaded._

 _Nolan shook his head slightly. "I will always have Ams and Jack's back. You can count on that. They're my family…But I've never been much for firepower and I'm more so a weapons of mind destruction and intellect type of guy, so I don't need- "_

" _-You…don't…have a choice. B-Becker..." She rasped out, only to see Nolan's eyes grow wide and his skin pale at the name._

" _W-what about him? You…I assumed…_ _ **WE**_ _assumed that…y-you completed your revenge and that he's snake chow right now!" Nolan nearly fired back, scared of what Grace had to say as she managed to shake her head._

" _I told you…I-I didn't…g-go through with it. D-Dylan…is d-dead. B-but I didn't c-cause it. D-Devin…let him die…while he put…his backup plan…into m-motion. He…he got away. I-t-tried-to f-find h-him, but I s-sucked at h-hide and s-seek. The bastard f-found me f-f-first…"_

"… _Are you saying…that-he's…he's_ _ **still**_ _\- "_

" _-At large…a-and in charge..." Roxanne grunted out before turning her glazed eyes towards Nolan seriously. "He will kill you…all of you…unless…you…" She trailed off, looking back towards the gun._

 _Nolan, now terrified, looked at the gun in his trembling hands and shook his head. "B-but I-I've never…k-killed…"_

" _-You…wanna…p-protect your friends? The…baby?" She rasped. She didn't have to look at him to see him nod with determination, his silence was answer enough, so she continued. "Then…y-you gotta make a choice…And quick…"_

 _Hearing her breathing patterns grow shorter and shorter, Nolan frowned with empathy at the woman, before quickly feeling around in his pocket for something before he pulled out what he was looking for and placed it in front of Grace._

" _W-what's that?" She rasped._

" _A red sharpie and picture of your sworn, mortal enemies. I…kind of printed it out earlier when I was trying to bait you all with a false lead in the hopes of having the satisfaction to cross the bastards out after a victory dance, but things didn't go as planned…Besides…this was your revengenda anyways. That honor belongs to you and you alone. So, here…"_

 _Nolan carefully uncapped the red marker and placed it in the woman's hand, guiding her fingers with his as they put a giant "X" mark over the photo of all the collaborated members of the Black Mamba Organization. She knew about the feeling of gratification the action would bring since she secretly admired the work of the notorious Emily Thorne at the time and always wished to be the one to cross out her own enemies off her list, so the fact that Nolan selflessly helped her achieve that minor desire, brought a smile to her pale face…_

 _For the first time in what seemed like ages, she finally felt like she was more than just a shadow…_

 _Growing weaker, she then reached out a shaking hand to touch his face, looking at him seriously._

" _P-protect them…Ross. Y-you…m-must…protect…" She trailed off as her hand grew limp and fell from his face._

 _Nolan wiped a tear away as he studied the gun in his trembling hands once more._

 **End Flashback.**

* * *

"…So…it was Grace…" Jack stated softly, frowning when he saw his wife look down in despair while wiping a tear that escaped her eye in silence.

Nolan nodded before coming closer to Amanda. "If it helps…I changed my mind…I shared my sharpie with her after all…Sharing is caring, right?"

Amanda cracked a wistful smile at him in appreciation. Before she could say anything, they all heard a **"ping"** sound before Nolan fished out the phones, his eyes growing wide as he paced around, texting rapidly.

"Nolan, what is it?" Jack asked curiously only to be shushed by Nolan as he continued to type, a smile widening on his face.

"I-it's Javier! I just heard from him! He says they're on their way to us now!"

"Seriously?!" Jack nearly shouted in excitement. His wife was going to join in before a thought struck her and her eyes widened in horror.

"Wait they're coming themselves?!" Amanda asked, her worry not subsiding.

"According to the text message." Nolan replied, not taking his eyes off the phones. "Isn't that great new- "

"- **NO!** No, it's not! If they come here, they'll be in danger too! Ask them if they sent any help! Police, the bomb squad, a locksmith, something!" Amanda demanded, not wanting to bear the thought of anymore of her friends facing any danger.

"Uh…problem with that…According to the message he just sent, they'll be here in a few moments…" Nolan gulped.

Amanda and Jack swore loudly. "Well, where are they now?!" Jack asked.

Before Nolan could say anything, they suddenly heard a loud vehicle engine revving up before hearing a large "booming" and "crashing" sound from afar off. They then heard familiar shouting and groaning sounds that were no doubt coming from their friends.

" _ **Dude, I can NOT believe we survived that! Movies always made it look so easy, but hell no! Louise what the hell?! You literally almost got us killed woman! Who taught you how to drive?! LIKE SERIOUSLY RIGHT NOW?! WHAT THE FU-?!"**_

" _ **-Louise! Take it easy! You shouldn't move so fast after that! You're limping, you probably broke something!"**_

" _ **Ya'll don't worry 'bout me, I told you I'm fine! Help me look for-oh no…Oh good lord, it looks like the American Civil War part 2 mixed with both World Wars in here! Oh, my god w-what if they- "**_

Nolan, Jack, and Amanda wasted no time in rushing towards the emergency exit to where the stairway was, not caring that the exit was sealed shut by the metal door as they pounded on it desperately, shouting for them. The three of them then heard multiple footsteps coming down the stairs till their voices were louder, closer, confirming that it was indeed Javier Salgado, Louise Ellis, and Johnathan Doe.

" _ **Ya'll hear that?! I think that might be them!"**_

" _ **It could be a trap! Everyone stay behind me! I got the most tactical experience out of you both. We don't know what's on the other side."**_

" _ **It could be them though, man! NOLAN?! IS THAT YOU?!"**_

"YEAH IT'S US! WE ARE ALL HERE! BUT WE'RE TRAPPED!" Nolan shouted from the other side of the metal door, not caring that his voice was rawer than usual.

"THEY SEALED OFF ALL THE EXITS, FIRE ESCAPES INCLUDED! PLEASE TELL US THAT YOU BROUGHT REEINFORCEMENTS TO GET US OUT OF HERE!" Jack shouted along with him.

They heard Javier cursed loudly.

" _ **Maldición! I knew I should have kept trying to get through! I tried everything, but these guys are dirty! They kept blocking my attempts and advances, I thought you would have gotten through by now Nolan, you're better than me, admittedly in this case when it comes to stuff like this!"**_

Nolan then cursed himself for being so focused on trying to get through to the others that he didn't properly take out the cyber blockage and threats of getting actual necessary help. Jack looked down, knowing that he was part of the reason that Nolan got distracted when they were trying to override Becker's security system earlier. Amanda then took the reins over the conversation.

"WE…GOT DISTRACTED…BUT LOOK, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. WE'RE ON OUR OWN FOR RIGHT NOW. WE JUST NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET OUT OF HERE AND FAST! THE BECKER BROTHERS ARE NOT A THREAT ANYMORE, BUT ONE OF THEM SET UP A BOMB! THIS PLACE IS WIRED TO EXPLODE IN LESS THAN 20 MINUTES NOW!" She shouted.

" _ **A BOMB?! OH SHI-!"**_

" _ **I'm on it!"**_ John shouted back firmly, interrupting Javier's outburst. A few terrorizing minutes passed over before he shouted at them again. _**"ALRIGHT EVERYONE BACK UP AWAY FROM THE DOOR AS FAR AS POSSIBLE!"**_

Nolan and the others complied without hesitation, Jack holding Amanda back as they stood afar off from the door and suddenly watched it crumble with a loud **"BOOM"!**

Before John, Javier, and Louise could happily reunite and greet their friends, they nearly got ran over as Nolan, Jack, and Amanda rushed past them, up the stairs, and onto the main floors, urging them to hurry up as they ran through the now crumbled brick wall that had a damaged, large-sized black van in the middle of it that made an opening to the outside. They searched frantically to find a working vehicle to escape in and get as far away as possible from the impending explosion, only for John to point out one of the discarded company vehicles in the warehouse's garage. They piled in and took off, burning rubber at neck-breaking speed as they raced against the invisible clock, not looking back, save for Amanda Porter as the gruesome image of the warehouse's sudden fiery combustion reflected in her jaded chestnut colored eyes.

Not looking away from the scene, she reached into her jacket pocket and clenched a certain bracelet in her hand ever so tightly, whispering.

" _Goodbye Grace…"_

* * *

 **Back in New York at Charlotte's Condominium…**

Exhausted and discouraged, Charlotte dropped her bags on the floor, kicked off her heels, and collapsed on her living room couch; a slew of thoughts rushing through her mind that tempted her to reach into the cabinet and kill a bottle of whatever would be strong enough to relieve her of the pain and discomfort that was attacking her psyche. Knowing the consequences of how that'd only make her situation worse, however, she decided against it and instead looked up at the ceiling, staring into nothing, as she reflected on all the events that had happened…

Including the contents of James' letter…

It didn't take a rocket scientist to know what had happened…

What he had done…

She felt her heart break from the moment she read, _**"By the time you read this, I'll already be gone for good. Maybe damned, maybe relieved, but either way, free from this situation, from this life of suffering."**_

She remembered how her eyes scanned through the letter, feeling her heart break at each sentence explaining how he couldn't take it anymore, how he just wanted an "out". It only confirmed her earlier suspicions on what she picked up…

What she'd sensed all along, knowing what it was from experience and even worse…How she couldn't save him…

She detested that familiar feeling of helplessness as it overtook her…

She barely remembered the other sentences he wrote regarding his remorse and wishes of how he could say goodbye to his family and loved ones and people who impacted his life in a positive way in whatever moments of his life that he considered to be a bright side…

She felt her heart shatter even more when he talked about her…

How she was a beautiful soul despite everything she had been through in life…

How she was the hope he wished he could have had…

The inspiration of strength he wished he could have obtained through it all…

But to no avail…

He thanked her heartfully in the letter. For her time, her compassion, her wit, and her efforts…

But the decision was made nonetheless.

The last thing that she remembered as the numbness of yet another loss in her life consumed her were the peculiar yet urgent pleads and requests that were more like instructions that he gave her at the end…

" _ **Perhaps you understand why I had to do this, or maybe not. Maybe even you hate my guts now…That's understandable, I guess. It's selfish of me to ask this on top of everything else, but I'm begging you, for your safety and for the safety of your family and mine, I need you to burn this letter into ashes and scatter them as soon as you finish it…You'll understand why later. I'm sorry…And once again, thank you…for everything…for being the last beautiful hope that I didn't know existed. I meant what I said. You will go far in life Charlotte Clarke. You are strong, beautiful, fearless…And maybe you were right about everything…Either way, it'll all be over…"**_

Having a moment where her anger towards his selfish actions took over, she found herself doing exactly what he requested when she made it back home to her place. She lit one of her candles and held the note over it; watching the flimsy notebook paper melt into black; disintegrating into the flame; perishing out of existence like the writer himself…

But what Charlotte didn't know, was the severity of the situation…

Hearing her phone chime, she nearly jumped, heart pounding at the sudden disturbance of her thoughts as she retrieved her phone from her purse and swiped to answer after seeing that it was Stevie Grayson.

"H-hello? Stevie?" Charlotte answered, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.

" _Oh, thank god, there you are! Charlotte Clarke, where the hell have you been?! I've been texting and trying to get in contact with you for the past few hours now!"_ Stevie scolded, her voice sounding all but pleased and a slight bit concerned.

"I…I just got back from…a business trip…" Charlotte replied tiredly as she struggled to find the right words.

" _What kind of business? Exactly?"_

"N-nothing too major, just…"

" _Would it have anything to do with what we talked about earlier in the week regarding Amanda's medical records?"_ Stevie asked, her prosecution tone already coming into play.

"I- "

" _-Because I just received a call from a colleague of mine who works in the medical law firm department and she contacted me saying that I needed to get in touch with Amanda right away regarding the strong possibility of her files being falsified and how they just found out this information during an ongoing murder investigation of some physician who was one of the ones who supervised her operation during the shooting and-"_

"-WHAT?!" Charlotte interrupted, horrified at Stevie's last words. "R-repeat that?! D-did you just say Dr.-I-m-mean one of the doctors that helped Amanda was- "

" _-Murdered apparently, yes. They're still investigating the details, it should be on the news. According to what it's saying, I guess one of his disgruntled patients who was aware of his malpractice and was affected by it had a grudge against him to the point where he shot him in cold blood and then turned the gun on himself afterwards. 'Just another example of why I said revenge was pointless and- "_ Stevie paused her rant when she heard a choking hiccup over the line. _"Charlotte? Sweetie are you alright? What's wrong?"_

"I-I-" Before Charlotte could explain further, her vision blurred by her tears as realization struck her left and right, she heard a knock at her door.

She could only guess who it could be…

" _Charlotte? What's going on?"_ Stevie asked, worry clear in her tone.

"I-I'll call you back." Charlotte managed to say before abruptly hanging up the phone, rushing to the bathroom to fix her obvious frazzled appearance and maintaining it enough to where it wouldn't cause suspicion before rushing back to answer the door. She wished she could say that she was surprised to see that it was one of the Hamptons' finest detectives that was there to ask her a couple of questions about the event Dr. Galtz had days ago, and about her whereabouts at the supposed time of his murder, but then she'd only be lying…

* * *

 **Back in Las Vegas somewhere on a distant highway…**

Using some extra equipment and technology Javier brought along, he and Nolan quickly worked together to form a virus to counterattack the remaining blockage of reaching the higher up authorities and contacted them regarding information on the corrupted organization. Needless to say, everyone in the group were not surprised to hear multiple sirens heading towards the burning spectacle that was further down the road.

As they continued down the highway, Javier Salgado shook his head as Nolan told him everything that he and his friends went through and the truth of the Black Mamba Organization. "Man, I can't believe you actually survived all that man. That had to have been hell! But I shouldn't be surprised. Only you could have held out for so long tinkering with the right phony codes to create false leads. Guess I was lucky to still keep my old number when Amanda contacted me to come in."

"It _was_ hell. But we're the lucky ones that you were crazy enough to come and find us yourselves!" Nolan replied, holding an icepack to his severely bruised eye.

In the back seat, Jack turned to look at his wife and frowned at the expression of discomfort on her face as she rubbed her hand over her stomach.

"Hey…are you okay?" He asked gently, putting a hand on top of hers. She stayed silent as she took a deep breath, but turned to face him and nodded, giving a little smile.

That little gesture would have made him feel relief, if he didn't recognize that it was a _forced_ smile…

He scooted closer to his wife and wrapped an arm around her in comfort once more, knowing that she needed it right now; drowning out the conversation that was going on in the front seat.

"We all got lucky. These guys weren't messing around like you said Nolan. They were probably on the verge of an all-out terrorism from the looks of it since they were seriously loaded with different explosives in the back of the truck we stole. I mean they had IEDs for days bro! I was fortunate enough to snag some to blow open that metal door or else all of our gooses would have been fried…" John explained seriously.

Nolan nodded before raising his eyebrow. "How the hell did you manage to get to us so fast anyways?"

"That credit goes to Louise, and her hella fast private jet. But she was a wreck man. I mean she wouldn't sit still throughout this whole crisis, I thought _mamacita_ here was gonna' get violent for a minute if we didn't find you!" Javier joked.

John wanted to retort that she _did_ get violent, but decided against it since his ear was still throbbing. He just shook his head, keeping his eyes focused on the road as he continued to drive.

"Oh, ya'll hush! I told you that there was nothin' I wouldn't do for him! After everything we've been through together I had to do something! He's my…" Louise paused before recovering, ignoring the burning sensation of her cheeks as she managed to silence what she truly wanted to say. "M-my family…and we gotta stick together after all."

"I knew you'd come through for me, Wonder-twin!" Nolan replied happily with a smile, reaching over to hug her, but frowning as she winced. "But…are _you_ alright? You-you look like you've been through a lot yourself and for the record, Lou-Lou, crashing a truck through a brick wall at high speed, doesn't exactly leave you _unscathed_ like it does in the _'A-Team'_. We probably should get that checked out…"

Louise tried to wave him off before yelping at the pain that struck her at his gentle touch and the throbbing that was spreading throughout her body now that her adrenaline waned. "I'm fine! I just-OW!"

"-Need to see a doctor ASAP?" Nolan offered with a smirk, knowing that he had proved his point as he handed her his ice pack.

"Damn it! No! I just - "She paused, her stubbornness dwindling as she took the ice pack from his hand and gazed into his striking blue eyes seriously, putting a hand to his scarred cheek, comforted by the tangibility of his warm skin that confirmed he was actually next to her. "I'm just glad you're alright… _I was so scared Nolan…_ " She whispered, choking up.

Nolan put a hand on top of the one that was still cupping his cheek and smiled gently. "Well, I wouldn't have been if it weren't for you having my back…Thank you, Louise. Really. I mean it."

Louise didn't know if all the emotion and excitement from earlier was getting to her, if it was nerves, or was just almost her time of the month, but drowning in the pools of Nolan's piercing yet darkened azure eyes and feeling the warm breath of his forced yet sincere light-hearted chuckle hit her blushed cheeks, she could only mutter under her breath before her actions took over.

" _Dagnabbit all…"_

Before Nolan could question her, he was almost knocked back by the force of Louise's lips crushing his, bruising them worse than they already were, yet soothing them with the softness of her tongue before he heard her gasp as she broke away from him almost violently, a rush of cold air brushing his lips as a result from the lack of warmth that was just there.

Louise didn't have to turn around. She knew the sudden silence only meant that all eyes were on them.

" _Oh, sweet bejeebers…"_ She muttered timidly as she slapped her hands to her cheeks, completely mortified by what she had just done. She dared to look up at Nolan who only seemed frozen as he stared at her, wide-eyed, non-blinking, his breathing pattern just now returning to normal.

"Well, that just happened." Javier managed, not looking away from the drama, still in shock at Louise's bold gesture.

Louise ran a hand through her tangled red curls, scrambling to find the right words to say instead of gaping like a fish out of water. "N-Nolan I…I'm so sorry I-I mean…I-I-I can explain!"

The awkward, silence tension was broken by a sudden loud, agonized wail.

"Amanda?!" Jack immediately leaned over his wife who was now curled into a fetal position in her seat, clenching her stomach tightly with shaking hands, breathing rapidly. "Are you alright?! What's wrong?!"

"I-it hurts… **IT HURTS!"** were the words she barely managed to grunt out in broken whimpers as she howled in pain once more.

Jack tried desperately to soothe his wife. "It's okay, Honey I'm here! J-just breathe in and out slowly and oh, god…" Jack cut his sentence short, cursing under his breath, running a hand through his matted hair in distress before looking at Nolan and the others. "We-we need to get her to a hospital!"

He turned back to his wife. "Amanda, can you-Amanda? AMANDA?!"

He was horrified to hear her let out another near shriek of pain before he watched her fall limp over his lap; her abdomen pains reaching a higher level and taking its toll on her body, rendering her unconscious. He wasted no time in shouting. **"GET US TO A HOSPITAL NOW!"**

"J-Jack just calm down. We're on our way now! I'm sure she's gonna be alright! L-let me see if I have somethin' to help in the meantime." Louise frantically tried to dig around in her purse for medication.

Nolan shook his head. "N-no. W-we need to hurry and get to a hospital. She-"

"-has stomach pains I know! I thought I brought my Ibuprofen…Or maybe, good lord where's my damn Pepto-Bismol when I need it! Or is she having an ulcer?!" Louise waved him off as she tried to figure out Amanda's symptoms only for Nolan to grasp her shoulders firmly, a grave look on his face as he made her look at him.

"Louise. Amanda's pregnant."

At those words, Louise's eyes widened in complete and utter terror as she froze; first in shock, ready to protest since she knew about Amanda's unfortunate infertile condition, but then in horror as she realized that he was serious and what her stomach pains could possibly mean from her experience of taking care of different family members and pregnant friends from the different facilities she was placed in years back.

"Oh, my god…" She whispered as if in a trance over and over before she scuffled to undo her seatbelt and leaned over Javier in the passenger seat with a sense of pure urgency and seriousness in her tone.

"John. Step on it. We need to get her there. _**Now."**_

* * *

 **Back at Charlotte's Condominium…**

Charlotte lost track of time for how long she had been staring at the ceiling once more. Thanks to James taking every action to practically erase himself from her life and leave her out of his involvement with the murder she had no idea he planned to commit all that time, her chat with the detectives didn't last long at all and was so painfully simple.

There was no need for crafty lies on her part, just intelligible truths that just so happened to not be the _entire_ facts that they needed to know...

When asked about Dr. Galtz' event she attended, she simply informed them of her purpose there to show support for a cause they believed in together and found it interesting and ironic that it was the very same physician who just so happened to have a hand in her sister's operations in the past.

When asked if she knew anything about a James Davis, it wasn't hard to mention his previous, athletic reputation of being one of the best former bicyclists she maybe saw once or twice in a sports magazine.

When asked about her roughed up appearance and cut on her forehead, she said that it was due to a rather nasty fall.

Finally, when asked about her whereabouts at the time of the doctor's death, all she had to do was conveniently mention the young, brown haired waiter and couple of other bystanders who served as reliable alibies at the time the murder was taking place, keeping her in the clear.

The interview was quick, and she was off the hook easy.

No one knew the true answer, but her.

That's what made it painful…But only on the inside…

So, before she knew it, she was lying face-up on her couch again, recollecting her thoughts, losing track of time as a few hours came and went, trying to tough it out and hold back a very needed crying session that would have maybe helped some of the bitterness subside.

But she felt too numb to shed anymore tears; too tired.

One thing she knew for sure, she never wanted to hear the words _"revenge"_ again. But at the same time, she couldn't say it was a lost cause. The doctor was exposed, and most likely her goal of shedding the true light on her sister's medical records was achieved.

She just wondered how exactly she was going to confront her sister about it…

Maybe an attempt of getting a goodnight's sleep was just what she needed.

Before she could force herself to move off the couch and into her bed, she nearly growled as her phone chimed once more, this time with a more 'light-hearted' ringtone before she saw the caller ID and immediately answered it, her heart stopping as she heard sniffling and crying on the other line.

" _ **A-Aunt Charlotte?"**_ The small voice sniffed.

"Carl?! Sweetie are you alright? What's wrong?" Charlotte, now fully alert, sat upright on the couch, her nurturing instincts taking over her numbing grief.

" _ **I-I was wondering if y-you've h-heard from my dad or mom?"**_

"I'm sorry Buddy, I haven't lately. I was just getting ready to call them though. Why? Did something happen?" Charlotte tried to keep the worry out of her voice, but failed.

" _ **I-I don't know! I tried calling them over and over, b-but they won't pick up! And d-dad told me h-he'd have his phone on him always if I needed him, but h-he's not there! I tried to keep in touch since I'm still camping with Joey, but h-he won't answer! I tried for a long time and nothing! A-and then, Joey and I were watching TV and th-they were on the news with Uncle Nolan! Something bad happened! It said that they were kidnapped in a building, but the building just exploded!"**_

"What?!" Charlotte nearly shouted with her voice cracking, reaching for the television remote and turning it on to see the horrifying breaking news story of some warehouse in Las Vegas crumbling into burning ashes as law enforcement everywhere surrounded the area and talked about the now exposed dangerous exclusive terrorist group called the _" Black Mamba Organization_ ", and the woman known as Grace Adams who mysteriously disappeared during the Adams family massacre back in the day, and was now apparently deceased, who was exposing all of their hidden agendas via a recording that she made. As the news continued to show clips of her, her pursuit of tainted justice, and the intel she acquired, the story went further in depth of how the ruthless organization targeted the well-known billionaire genius, Nolan Ross and his friends.

Charlotte's eyes then widened in fear as images of Nolan Ross and Jack and Amanda Porter flashed across the screen along with the words _"victims_ " and _"held hostage_ ".

" _Oh, my god…"_ Charlotte whispered tearfully as she put a hand to her mouth before realizing that her reaction wasn't helping ease her 9-year-old nephew's worries as she heard him let out another whimper. It was obvious that he was trying to be strong and not cry, but he couldn't hold back his sob as he heard his Aunt's reaction. Charlotte then fought to stay calm for her nephew's sake.

"N-now, now Carl, don't cry. I-I'm sure they're alright…I'm watching the news too now and they're saying that they weren't in the building when it exploded. But it is saying that they made it to a hospital…" She sighed shakenly before continuing, "Listen, I'm-I'm going to find out what's going on and then I'll call you back. Don't worry. Okay? I'll find them."

" _ **I wanna come too! C-can you come get me? I asked Joey's parents, but they said it'd be safer if I was with them right now. But I don't want to be here anymore! I just want my dad and mom! I need to know they're okay! Please…"**_

Charlotte's heart shattered from the desperation in his tone.

Screw the fact that she didn't know how far he was from her or what the trip would do to her gas mileage…

"D-don't you worry now Buddy; Auntie Charlotte is on her way! Let Joey's parents know. I'll come get you in no time so we can meet with your mom and dad at the hospital. It's all going to be alright, okay?"

" _ **Kay…"**_

She heard her nephew sniff in response, obviously still worried but relieved that he had a hope of finding out what was going on.

After reassuring him once more, and gathering information about his whereabouts, Charlotte hung up, cursing under her breath as she rushed to grab her keys and phone, scheduling a flight and setting up her GPS at the same time, trying not to assume the worse outcome of the situation.

Especially seeing that her assumptions had led to nothing but disaster so far…

She could only hope…

* * *

 **Several hours later at a Hospital in Las Vegas…**

As the automatic doors opened, Charlotte finally rushed through the hospital's main entrance with her nine-year-old nephew in tow as he held her hand out of comfort. She kept trying to give him smiles of reassurance while trying to hide her own weary expression, but it proved to be quite a daunting task. Seeing a familiar tall man, dressed sharply in a suit but with unkempt blonde hair and a woman next to him with curly red hair nearly falling asleep on his shoulder, Carl broke free from his Auntie's grasp and ran to hug them both.

"UNCLE NOLAN! AUNT LOUISE!"

The two adults nearly jumped in their seats, startled at the sound of their names before noticing the familiar face of their favorite adopted nephew looking distraught as he buried his face in Louise's dress, before turning his reddened eyes towards the man.

Nolan blinked, still trying to grasp he fact that his favorite nephew was physically in front of him right now. "Carl?! Buddy! Wh-what are you doing here? I thought you were camping with your friend and - "

"-M-my d-dad…and m-my mom…wh-where are they? H-have you seen them? I saw the news, are they okay? A-are they hurt?" Carl asked directly, swiping at his eyes, trying not to cry again.

"That's what I want to know too." Charlotte added in, walking up to the other three with folded arms, trying to keep her anger and worry in check since Carl was still on edge. Louise wasted no time in dropping to the little boy's level to reassure him.

"Oh Sugar, it's alright. Your mamma and daddy weren't in that building when it when it exploded. We were all long gone before then. They're alive." Louise soothed the boy, rubbing his shoulders softly.

"W-why haven't they been answering my calls then?" Carl asked with a frown, folding his arms.

Nolan's eyes grew wide in realization as he facepalmed and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, pulling out both Jack and Amanda's phones, knowing that Jack and his wife were most likely going to have his head on a platter for his negligence later. "Oh! My oopsie. I forgot I had your mom and dad's phones still on me. No wonder why my butt's been vibrating so much…That must have been you calling all that time. I'm so sorry about that buddy. It was my fault. Don't blame your parents…"

Charlotte nearly felt her eye twitch and was ready to blow a gasket. She would have shouted at Nolan if their nephew wasn't still present. But since he was, she continued to hold her peace watching the boy nod at him with instant forgiveness. "It's okay…but that still doesn't answer my question…Where's dad and mom? Are they okay? The bad people didn't hurt them, did they?"

"They're…I-I'm sure they're fine. The…bad people didn't hurt them too badly. Of course, not! You know how strong your mom and dad are. And besides, I was protecting them the entire time." Nolan winked, wanting to swallow the invisible lump in his throat as the memory of how true that statement was came into his mind.

"They're just in there with the doctor right now getting all their boo-boos patched up. But hey, don't you worry Sugar, you'll be able to go in there in just a little while. But hey, how's about you come with Auntie Lou-Lou so we can hit the cafeteria for some grub. You must be starvin' after such a long trip!" Louise cooed almost making Carl want to roll his eyes, but he found comfort in her nurturing speech so he cracked a little smile instead. As much as he wanted to protest and insist on seeing his dad and mom, he couldn't deny that he was a bit hungry after being on nothing but smores and snacks for a while.

He heard his stomach growling before looking back at his Aunt, nodding reluctantly, accepting her offer and trying to take comfort in the fact that his parents were alright. "Well…okay. As long as they'll be okay…and I guess I am a little hungry…"

"That's the spirit! Well come on then, let's get ya all fixed up and fed!" Louise ruffled his hair, brightening at the sight of Carl's smile as it grew wider. "Okay! Hey, I think they might have cake here! Can we get some cake Aunt Louise?"

"Why of course! You most certainly may Darlin'. I'll make sure we get the biggest hankering piece of cake they've got with all the fixin's. If your daddy and momma want to fuss about it, they can blame me later." Louise smiled bopping Carl's nose with her finger and giving him a wink.

"Alright!" Carl smiled and fist pumped with excitement, his earlier worries finally dissipating at the thought of having sweets as he walked ahead of his aunt, rushing to find the elevator to take them to the cafeteria. Louise wasted no time in catching up to him but not before looking over her shoulder at Nolan and Charlotte, giving them a wistful nod as she left them both alone.

"Okay. Kid-friendly version over. Tell me what's going on. Now." Charlotte glared.

"How about you start first. H-how'd you and Carl even get here? And what happened to you? You look like hell." Nolan retorted.

"I-I…fell…" Charlotte replied lamely, rolling her eyes at Nolan's raised eyebrow, a clear gesture demanding for an explanation before she moved a lock of her brunette hair out of her face and sat down in one of the chairs. "It's…been a trying week for me okay? Let's just leave it at that."

"Hm. For you and me both then…Hell, for all of us really." Nolan mumbled under his breath, sitting next to her.

"…Please tell me what happened Nolan? Is my sister alright? And Jack?" Charlotte pleaded, not liking the defeated and exhausted tone of her best friend. It was…so unlike his usual quirky character. It was obvious that he was tired, so she knew it had to have been bad. He certainly looked terrible, with his various bruises and scars contrasting drastically against his sharply dressed appearance.

"You've seen the news lately?" Nolan asked. Charlotte shook her head. "I have, but I want to hear your version of the events."

"Only if you go first. I know you must've been up to something big for the past few weeks. You texted multiple times for a favor and, oh. Sorry I couldn't get back to you on that. I was…a little tied up myself the past few weeks…In the literal sense of the word…" Nolan droned.

"Yeah. I gathered. Don't worry about it. Just tell me what happened. Please." Charlotte pleaded once more.

Before he could explain, a slew of paparazzi and press stormed in the hospital thrusting out questions, microphones, and flashing cameras in front of Nolan, speaking all at once, demanding for comments, statements, and explanations on the events of his kidnapping.

Rubbing his neck sheepishly as he looked at Charlotte, he pointed towards the eager crowd and shrugged, mumbling underneath his breath. "Uhm…Like I said, watch the news. As I have no choice but to be on it if I don't want these man-eating hungry savages they call 'the press' to eat me alive, spit out my bones, and report about it all in the good name of the First Amendment rights…Excuse me, please." Nolan got up and motioned the public to follow him.

"What? No, wait! Nolan!" Charlotte protested.

"Sorry Charlie! We'll talk later! Promise!" Nolan called back, luring the press out of the building, before security could show up.

Charlotte huffed in frustration before going outside.

She needed some air.

* * *

As she sat on one of the benches outside the main entrance, frustrated that she still didn't know what was going on with Amanda and about ready to just ask the nurses herself, she barely noticed a man standing near her, walking up to her slowly before calling out her name softly.

"Charlotte?"

She turned her head around and froze, not expecting to see someone who she hadn't talked to in years. "J-Javier? Is that you?"

"Y-Yeah! I-wow. It's been a while." He smiled, excited to see her again.

"It has." Charlotte simply nodded, her spirits lifted just a little bit at the memory of him, yet still feeling emotionally worn out to express her enthusiasm. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"I uh…I came here with Nolan and the others. I guess you've heard what happened?" Javier treaded carefully.

Charlotte huffed. "From what I could gather on the news. Not the full version. The press was kind of ready to crucify Nolan if he didn't give any type of statement, so he had to leave before he could tell me. Why? Do you know?"

"Not the whole details…but I did help with the rescue so, there's that, I guess." Javier shrugged awkwardly.

"You were involved? Oh, my god, are you okay?" Charlotte asked with concern as she walked closer to him, examining if he had any injuries. Javier held his hand up, smiling at her with reassurance. "I'm fine. No worries. It's more so your sister who we're all worried about right now she- "

He trailed off before his eyes widened with concern at Charlotte's appearance.

"Oh, my god. Are you okay? You're hurt!" He moved a lock of her hair out of her eye to examine the long cut on her forehead, but she grabbed his hand softly, shaking her head, preventing him from going any further, but not letting go at the same time ignoring the familiar flush of her cheeks at his gentle touch.

Now was certainly not the time…

Not after what she'd been through…

"I'm fine. I had a bad fall. But wait, what were you saying about my sister?" Charlotte frowned.

Before Javier could say anything, Nolan walked up to the bench where they were, straightening his tie. "Ya know, when ya use your imagination and pretend that the media world is nothing more than hungry puppies nipping at your heels for a good story to make a decent living, it's not so bad putting up with them, but when ya try to ignore them for a moment of peace or have to listen to them spin our comments out of proportion for the hell of it, that's when they're just nasty. I swear they're worse than a zombie apocalypse and- "Nolan froze midway in his rant when he saw Charlotte and Javier. "I'm…sorry am I interrupting somethi- "

"-No! Of course, not!" Charlotte exclaimed, snatching her hand away from Javier's and sitting back down. "I'm still waiting to hear about Amanda's status."

"And…I was just about to grab some coffee and saw Charlotte here and thought maybe she'd want some. Um…do you?" Javier asked awkwardly.

"Huh? Do I what?" Charlotte asked almost apprehensively.

"Want some coffee?" Javier asked.

"Oh…No. Thanks. I-I'm fine. Thanks." Charlotte gave a forced smile.

"Oh…ok. Well, I'm off then. See ya man, hope it all goes well." Javier said to Nolan, shaking his hand before smiling wistfully at Charlotte. "It was nice seeing you again, Char."

"You too." Charlotte replied politely with a nod.

"Maybe…we can hang out sometime? If you're not too busy, or whenever this blows over, not saying that this moment isn't important right now I mean- "Javier jumbled over his words.

"-Sure. I'd like that." Charlotte replied, eager for a healthier distraction from her hectic week that didn't include facing the bottle. And if she had to be honest, she'd missed his company over the years. Perhaps mending certain fences with a friend was just what she needed. Not now, but maybe for later.

"G-great. I think I still have your number so…I'll call you some time."

She nodded in response.

"…And Charlotte?"

She turned to him once more.

"Take care of yourself…" Javier said gently.

"Thank you…you do the same." She smiled, this time it was genuine.

Once Javier left and Nolan sat back down next to Charlotte, he managed to give her a quirky little smile. "Do I even want to know what that was about?"

"No." Charlotte replied shortly, low on patience as anxiety filled her once more. "Now for the last time, tell me what happened with Amanda or so help me-!"

"Charlie! Calm down! I- "Nolan tried to calm her down, but to no avail.

"Don't!" Charlotte hissed, whispering harshly. "Don't you dare tell me to calm down! You don't know what the hell I've been through this week! Finding letters from my mother that turned out to be a conspiracy against my sister regarding her past surgeries and digging deeper for the purpose of pursuing justice and finding someone to help me get it who I ended up caring about, only to completely turn on me in a revenge crazed war that resulted in a murder that I had no idea about but feel partly responsible for and can't do a damn thing about it!" Charlotte spat in one long breath, thankful to see that they were the only ones currently in the area.

"Wait a minute, whoa-whoa-whoa…You did what?!" Nolan exclaimed.

Charlotte ran a hand through her hair. "…I was at my father's cabin and I found some letters…from Victoria to some physician who oversaw Amanda's surgery back when she got shot on the boat…After digging deeper on what the letters said, I found out that it was a conspiracy against Amanda regarding her medical records and her… _infertility status."_

Nolan paled, trying to swallow the lump that formed in his throat as he listened.

"As it turns out…the records stated that she had a hysterectomy and I'm sure that Victoria said as much, knowing her." Charlotte glowered at the thought of her deceased mother's cruelty. "But as it turns out, that couldn't be further from the truth." Charlotte clenched her fists as she looked at Nolan seriously. "She lied to her, Nolan. And she bribed a physician to make it official. Victoria lied about Amanda's infertility."

"I know." Nolan said gravely.

Charlotte was taken aback. "Wh-what?! Wait a minute? Y-you know? What do ya mean, you know?!"

"We all do." He stated again in the same tone.

Before she could protest further, Nolan suggested that they go back to the Emergency Room to await the status of their friends. He walked on ahead of Charlotte, ignoring her demands on how he knew about Amanda's status, trying to hold his composure but failing miserably.

* * *

Once they made it to the Emergency Room hallway section of the hospital, close to Amanda's hospital room, Nolan knew he couldn't keep stalling any longer. Charlotte wasn't having it. As much as he wished he didn't have to be the bearer of bad news, Charlotte's insistent pleads and demands were taking its toll on him.

 _ **Depending on the severity, assumptions hold an incredible ability for destruction...**_

"Nolan! Damn it! What are you hiding from me?! You know something that I don't, don't you?! Is that it?! Please tell me! I-I can take it!" Charlotte pleaded desperately.

"No…I don't think you can. I know…b-because I can't right now." Nolan stated shakenly.

 _ **It can be as subtle as destroying the deepest of trusting relationships…**_

"What is it, Nolan? Please… _She's my sister_!" Charlotte whispered.

Nolan took a deep, shaky sigh before explaining. "Y-you're saying that you had a hectic time finding out the truth about Amanda's infertile condition, and the fact that Victoria lied about Amanda's maternal oven being broken, but all you did was bring further exposure to a fact that we already discovered."

"But that's just it…I kept the discovery under wraps the entire time, except when I tried explaining it to Amanda, but got interrupted, but either way, she's the only one who could have known or figured it out eventually. How did you guys find out about her condition?"

"She didn't know either. She only found out about the lie of her maternal oven being broken, because she had a bun in it for the past ten weeks…and counting…" Nolan explained softly, looking at Charlotte, waiting for her to put two and two together.

It didn't take long of course.

"W-what?!" She put her hands to her mouth in shock as she continued to whisper. "W-wait a minute…are you…are you saying that Amanda is…she's pregnant?" Her excitement and urge to squeal was growing as she felt newfound joy fill her to the brim only to dissipate as she watched Nolan sigh heavily.

"Hopefully…If that's still the case…" Nolan choked.

Charlotte's joy dissipated completely as anxiety replaced it once more.

"Wh-what do you mean…h-hopefully? N-Nolan?" Charlotte nearly shook him as his eyes filled with tears. "Nolan! Tell me! What's wrong with my sister and the baby?!"

"I-I-I don't know. That's just it…after everything that we've been through in those weeks and-and facing so many near death situations, I-I guess it took its toll on her and-and as we escaped the scene, her stomach started hurting…r-really, really badly."

Charlotte's eyes widened in horror.

"She…she was almost screaming…She-she was in so much pain…She eventually p-passed out from it all..."

" _No…Oh my god, no…"_ Charlotte muttered tearfully, shaking her head as she put her hands to her mouth once more, recognizing what Nolan was trying to say, knowing from experience what it all meant. As Nolan shook his head, looking down, she noticed he stopped describing what Amanda went through.

She also noticed that he forgot to mention one, important little detail…

"W-was she bleeding?" Charlotte whispered shakenly.

"W-what?" Nolan turned to her.

"W-was she bleeding? Y-you mentioned that she had severe abdominal pains, b-but was there any blood?" Charlotte turned to look at him through tear-filled eyed that might have had shred of hope in them depending on what his answer would be.

"I-I-"

"Nolan! Was. She. Bleeding?!" Charlotte's voice rose desperately.

Nolan's eyes filled with tears once more. Before he could respond however, both parties watched the door to Amanda's hospital room swing open before they saw Jack Porter walk out as if he were in a trance, trudging slowly, not looking up.

Charlotte wasted no time in rushing to him, grabbing him in an embrace.

One that she noticed was not returned in the slightest…

"Jack! Oh, my god! I-I heard about everything! Are-are you alright?! How's Amanda a-and the baby?!" Charlotte sputtered as she watched Jack flinch at his wife's name, but when she mentioned the baby, she was horrified to see him shake his head as his shoulders shook suddenly, and his breaths grew heavier as a hiccupping sob escaped his lips, before the dam broke completely as he crumbled to his knees crying heavily, seemingly almost bitterly in front of them.

Charlotte knelt next to him, shaking her head as she realized what'd just happened…

…What it all meant…

Before she knew it, she ended up wailing next to him, apologizing over and over as she held him tightly and cried.

Nolan shook his head, finally letting the tears fall as a sob escaped his lips as well. His heart breaking for his best friends as he joined the two on the cold floor, adding his own grief into the mix.

… _ **Or even prove to be life threatening…**_

 **To be continued.**


	15. Final chapter part 2

**WARNING: BEFORE YOU READ, PLEASE REFRESH YOUR MEMORY OF ALL THE EVENTS BEFORE THIS FINAL CHAPTER AS NEEDED AS THIS IS THE FINAL CHAPTER BESIDES AN EPILOGUE AND HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED FOR A WHILE. THANK YOU.**

 **A/N: Yeah, it's been rough guys. Long story short, lost internet, (JUST NOW GOT IT BACK) lost free time due to working 3 jobs and school, and just recently before Father's Day, lost my Grandpa…But one thing that has not been lost…IS MY LOVE FOR REVENGE AND JEMILY AND ALL MY FRIENDS ON HERE AND READERS! THAT'S RIGHT! I'VE STILL BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE FANDOM IN THE SHADOWS! AND GUYS! REALLY?! WHERE ARE ALL THE JEMILY FICS I ADORE?! Lol so anyways, good to be back! Please enjoy this chapter and special thanks goes to all of you who have been patient and InfinityxInifnity777 for her amazing stories and help in this fic. Now that I switched my internet provider and booted up my Microsoft office and it was my day off yesterday, I figure it's time to get back to the action!**

* * *

The warmth of the bright sun rays did little to keep Carl David Porter from shivering as he bundled his brightly colored scarf more snugly around his neck. Though the bitter, chilled winds continued to nip mercilessly at his face, the boy chose actively to ignore the frost bite as he persevered, walking through the cemetery's yard. The deep snow crunched underneath his boots as he found the headstone he wanted. He fiddled with the pink colored stem roses and blue colored hydrangeas that were in his hands as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

It was hard enough picking the right type of colored flowers…

The nine-and a-half-year-old knew that he probably should not have wandered off, away from adult supervision, but this was just something he had to do…

After everything he and his family had been through…

After the loss…

He just had to take a moment away from everything and everyone to give his proper respects and honor the special loved one that was supposed to be a part of his family…

But fate had other plans…Especially since they were out of anyone's control…

Although it was many months if you counted, it seemed like forever ago to him.

And his father and stepmother felt the same way no doubt…

After finally mustering up the courage to speak, fighting to stay strong, Carl spoke softly. "Um…H-hi…I…I hope you don't mind…I wanted to come see you today…"

It was no surprise that silence was the response he got in return, but it didn't make it any less painful.

"I know it's been awhile…Sorry about that. Things have been…different, I guess you could say. Everything's changing now. Especially for me…I'm still trying to understand it all, ya know? There are a lot of things I'm still trying to understand in life I guess…I wish I could tell you face to face...Maybe then it'd be easier. Or maybe not. Maybe you wouldn't understand since…well, you were kind of taken away before we had a chance- before _I_ had the chance to…to really know you. I try to still be happy though. We all do. Mom is…she's still… _managing_ is how she likes to put it, but dad and I know how hard it is for her to come here. It's hard for dad too…But as long as we all know you're in a better place…It'll all be okay. I know it will be…right?"

Carl smiled as a tear streamed down his cheek.

"Anyways…I-I just wanted to tell you…You don't have to worry about me. I-I'm okay. We'll all be okay. Sorry that we couldn't really spend much time together…but maybe someday, we'll get the chance. I just hope that…maybe one day if we ever get to really meet, you'll think I'm a good big brother and- "

" _Carl?"_

Carl almost jumped, startled as he quickly wiped his eyes to remove any traces of crying. Bracing himself for a lecture for leaving without a warning, he wanted to breathe in relief when he found that he was grabbed into a supportive hug by his Aunt Charlotte instead.

"I don't mean to intrude, but I didn't know where you were for a second there. You need to let me know where you're going next time, Buddy."

"I'm sorry Aunt Charlotte. I just…I had to-"

"-I know. It's still hard. It gets hard for me too…" Charlotte nodded as she rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. She then noticed the pink and blue flowers in his hands. "Oh, you didn't give it to them yet?"

Carl shook his head. "Not yet. I meant to, but I was still talking to…my mother…well Mom number one I guess I should say. With everything happening with Mom number two about to finally have the baby, and since today's the day Grandpa joined my mother here in heaven, I just wish they could be here to see me finally become a big brother…well, that is _if_ I'm going to be a good- "

"-Carl. Stop worrying. I told you before and I told you again, you're going to make a wonderful big brother!" Charlotte shook her head with a smile as she ruffled his brunette colored hair.

"Everyone keeps saying that, but what if something goes wrong? Dad and the doctor said mom is h-high risk! I don't know what that means exactly, but it doesn't sound good!"

"Carl…" Charlotte tried. The boy kept going.

"What if her heart acts up or shuts down like Iron Man's did?! Or-or what if the baby gets stuck and doesn't come out right?"

"Carl!" Charlotte tried again, but to no avail.

"What if it's a mutant?!"

"CARL!" Charlotte's voice rose, finally breaking through his rant, making the boy blink at her. "A mutant? Really? Okay, I think that's enough comic books for you, mister."

Carl's worried expression did not subside. "They're actually called graphic novels, but that's not the point! The point is lots of stuff can happen to mom! And I heard having a baby hurts really, really badly and- "

Charlotte resisted the urge to facepalm. "-Ugh…I still don't get _how_ you even _knew_ about that or why can't you just believe in the stork like other kids used to…"

"Because I asked Google after dad and mom didn't want to tell me where babies actually came from and I didn't feel like waiting till I was 'older' to find out." Carl shrugged innocently.

Charlotte just shook her head at him in response, clearly not amused. "Look, all I'm saying is that you're worrying too much. Have a little more faith. You know that your mom's a tough cookie."

"…You're right…It's just, after that whole thing with the bad snake people kidnapping dad and mom all those months ago, I can't help but get worried. I already lost my bio mother…I don't want anything to happen to my other mom too or my new brother or sister…" Carl said softly looking down at his mother's grave, still fiddling the flowers he had in his hands.

Charlotte rubbed a hand across his back in comfort before whispering, "It's all going to be okay, buddy. You'll see."

Fortunately, it was enough to make the boy look up at her and crack a little smile; nodding his head before he sighed and laid the beautiful pink flowers gently on the headstone that was labeled:

 _ **Beloved Mother and Wife: Emily Thorne: Oct 3, 1985- Sept 2, 2012**_

Charlotte sighed, swallowing the lump in her throat. She couldn't help but admire the child's strength. He had been through so much and yet was still left untainted by the real world's cruelty. She hoped it would remain that way for him…And yet, she could understand Carl's concern for her sister. If she had to be honest, there were times when she still couldn't believe how everything turned out. As the cold winds blew across her face, she thought back on the events that happened that day…

* * *

 **Flashback to around 9 months or so ago…**

 _"Nolan! Was. She. Bleeding?!" Charlotte's voice rose desperately._

 _Nolan's eyes filled with tears once more. Before he could respond however, both parties watched the door to Amanda's hospital room swing open before they saw Jack Porter walk out as if he were in a trance, trudging slowly, not looking up._

 _Charlotte wasted no time in rushing to him, grabbing him in an embrace._

 _One that she noticed was not returned in the slightest…_

 _"Jack! Oh, my god! I-I heard about everything! Are-are you alright?! How's Amanda a-and the baby?!" Charlotte sputtered as she watched Jack flinch at his wife's name, but when she mentioned the baby, she was horrified to see him shake his head as his shoulders shook suddenly, and his breaths grew heavier as a hiccupping sob escaped his lips, before the dam broke completely as he crumbled to his knees crying heavily, seemingly almost bitterly in front of them._

 _Charlotte knelt next to him, shaking her head as she realized what'd just happened…_

… _What it all meant…_

 _Before she knew it, she ended up wailing next to him, apologizing over and over as she held him tightly and cried._

 _Nolan shook his head, finally letting the tears fall as a sob escaped his lips as well. His heart breaking for his best friends as he joined the two on the cold floor, adding his own grief into the mix._

 _Charlotte kept sobbing out apologies to her brother-in-law, still holding him in an embrace before she and Nolan noticed that his hiccupping whimpers got shorter and shorter and his shoulders continued to shake, but the sounds that he made, didn't sound much like the bitter sobbing from moments ago, now it sounded like…_

… _Laughing?_

 _Charlotte and Nolan raised their heads in confusion, wiping their swollen, reddened eyes from remaining tears as they looked at each other before turning to Jack. They were completely perplexed to see the man laughing and crying at the same time as he was now smiling despite the tears that still streamed down his face._

" _J-Jack?" Charlotte nearly squeaked, officially concerned for her brother-in-law's sanity._

" _She-she's okay!" Jack finally managed as he fought to get his breathing pattern under control from almost hyperventilating earlier. "A-Amanda…a-and the baby are…th-they're going to be okay."_

" _W-What?!" Nolan whispered as his eyes widened. "B-but I thought- "_

 _A slight yelp from Jack interrupted Nolan's baffled murmuring as Charlotte punched him in the shoulder. Hard._

" _YOU JERK! YOU ALMOST MADE ME HAVE A HEART ATTACK!" Charlotte all but screamed. Before Jack could protest or defend himself, his eyes widened as reality hit him on who was in front of him and the rather large injury that person had. "Charlotte?! W-what are you doing here? And what the hell happened to you?!"_

" _Don't change the subject! My sister! H-how is she?! W-what happened?!" Charlotte asked firmly despite the tremor in her voice as she covered her injury defensively, ineffectively trying to hide it._

" _The baby-the baby's not dead?!" Nolan added, desperate to know the answer, clinging on to hope._

 _Jack sniffed, shaking his head while rubbing his now even more injured, bandaged shoulder as he explained. "No... Thankfully. It-it was a miracle that they made it through alright. Amanda j-just had a urinary tract infection that was starting to get severe, but they caught it in time and she's going to get the proper treatment."_

" _So…in-in the car, when her stomach was hurting...it-it wasn't because of a miscarriage?" Nolan asked cautiously._

" _I-I thought it was after everything honestly, but…no. No, she's-they're going to be okay." Jack breathed, his words providing needed relief to himself as much as the others as he continued, "She's…she's got to take it easy from here on out though; which will be a task knowing how she is, and there's still the case of her being high risk with her health conditions, but overall, as long as she slows down a bit, the doc says she should make it through." Jack managed a smile._

" _Oh-oh thank god!" Charlotte breathed with relief before excitement filled her once more. "But then that means…Jack! Y-you're really going to be a dad again!" Charlotte breathed. She and Nolan then hugged him once more, but with pure happiness. Jack was ready to return the affection before the word "dad" hit home for him and his eyes grew wide, before frantically grabbing Nolan by the shoulders._

" _Oh-oh my god, Carl! M-my son! Nolan! I-I need to call him! I need to make sure he's okay! H-h-have you heard from him at all?!" Jack practically sputtered._

 _Nolan gulped, looking away uncomfortably, trying to pick and choose the right words that wouldn't send him into sudden death once Jack found out about the lack of communication that caused his son to be worried... "Uh…yeeah, about that…I- "_

" _ **DADDY!"**_

 _Jack pushed away from Nolan and barely had time to respond before his son came barreling towards him, grabbing him in a desperate embrace that sent them both rolling on the floor. He grabbed onto his son, returning the embrace with equal fervor, chuckling and breathing in relief as his worries subsided._

 _Screw the fact that they were becoming an eyesore to the medical staff who passed by…_

" _CARL! H-hey, buddy! Oh, thank god, you're okay! I-I was so worried about you!" Jack breathed as he looked down to his son, wiping away the boy's tears._

" _Me?! I-I was the one worried about you! I heard about the bad people who kidnapped you and mommy and-and then the building that exploded and I tried to call you, but-but no one picked up, so I called Aunt Charlotte and we came here and we thought you both were gone! But then I found out it was because Uncle Nolan forgot that he had your phones, so it's all okay." Carl explained innocently._

" _Wait. Your Uncle Nolan did what?!" Jack shot up and turned to glare at Nolan who just waved back sheepishly in apology._

 _He knew from the steely look in Jack's eyes that he'd be catching hell from him later…_

" _Dad…wh-where's mom? Is she-is she okay?" Carl whimpered, making his father soften his expression before he moved a strand of hair from his son's bangs away from his eyes, smiling softly._

" _Yeah, little man…Don't worry. She's-she's gonna be just fine. In fact, she's more than okay." Jack's smile widened making Carl tilt his head in slight confusion. "Wh-what do you mean?"_

" _I mean…Well, remember when you said that it got lonely for you without having any brothers or sisters around to have fun with?"_

 _Carl nodded innocently, still feeling perplexed but listened intently._

" _Well, you don't have to worry about being lonely anymore…Because we just found out that…you're going to get to be a big brother after all…"_

 _Carl's eyes widened with excitement as realization hit him. "Wait…are-are you saying that mom's- "_

" _-going to have a baby. We're going to have a baby." Jack finished and nodded, smiling with equal excitement._

" _No way! I-I'm finally going to get to be a big brother? Seriously?!" Carl asked, his excitement reaching its peak once he saw his father chuckle and nod as confirmation. He then started jumping up and down, fist pumping the air. "YES! OH, MY GOSH! UNCLE NOLAN! AUNT LOUISE! AUNT CHARLOTTE! DID YOU HEAR THAT?! I'M FINALLY GOING TO GET TO BE A BIG BROTHER AFTER ALL THESE YEARS!"_

 _The child wasted no time in hugging each adult who only chuckled with glee in excitement at the news. They could hardly believe it themselves, that after all the tragic events and storms, the light at the end of the tunnel was finally shining through._

" _Well ain't that just the dandiest! Congratulations Sugar!" Louise smiled hugging the boy back before he rushed back to Charlotte who hugged him back before he rushed to Nolan and finally his dad again before shooting up once more. "Oh, my gosh where's mom?! I-is she here?! I have to tell her the good news! MOM?! MOM!"_

" _Slow down Buddy! I think she already knows since she's the one having it! Hey, hey no running! Slow down!" Jack chuckled trying to keep his parental voice firm as he watched his son rush down the hall towards Amanda's room, but he couldn't contain his excitement either._

 _Charlotte couldn't stop smiling as she and the others followed Jack and Carl to Amanda's room to congratulate the pending mother._

 _Things were finally looking up…_

 _ **End Flashback.**_

* * *

"Aunt Charlotte? Aunt Charlotte!"

Carl's voice snapped Charlotte out of her thoughts as she turned her attention towards him.

"I never got to ask you, how is mom? Is she doing okay? Is the baby here yet? I heard that once mom breaks some type of water, the baby comes right away, but it's taking forever! Are you sure she's going to have it?" Carl asked, his slew of questions making Charlotte blink as she tried to find the right response.

"Well…"

* * *

 **Meanwhile in the hospital somewhere in New York…**

Jack Porter had no time to wipe the sweat from his brow as he was too busy completing that task for his clearly distressed wife as the couple were surrounded by medical staff in the small yet private labor and delivery room. Though he was not a stranger to fatherhood, the journey of pregnancy for Jack had been a complicated yet simple one before; since at the time, the mother of his child was already well developed and was unfortunately in a coma when they had to deliver his first child rather than dealing with the normal stages of enduring active labor.

However, this was not the case for Jack Porter this time around…

As for his wife, it was clear that Amanda Porter nee Clarke was no stranger to pain. She had been in her fair share of severe fights, had been shot twice, and even gotten in some messy incidents with a katana back in the day. However, all the excruciating pains of those moments seemed questionable compared to what she was going through now.

The struggle of active labor was all too real…

She was starting to wish she opted for the epidural after all…

"She's dilated to about 8cm now…" One of the nurses stated as she watched the nearby fetal monitor.

"Still too early. And the doctor isn't here yet. Mrs. Porter, we know it's hard but we need you not to push right now. Whatever you do, don't push! We don't want any ruptures taking place." Another nurse stated calmly.

"H-Honey did you hear that? D-d-don't push yet." Jack stammered, fighting to stay calm as the rush of the moment was getting to them both and his attempts to keep his wife calm were failing miserably as they awaited the needed physician who was still not present yet.

Not to mention the grip his former ninja wife had on his hand at that moment was causing quite a discomfort for the usually calm mannered man…

"I-I'm not pushing!" Amanda grunted impatiently through short, heavy breaths; though she was clearly disobeying orders due to the paralyzing pains that were wreaking havoc on her body as she writhed on the birthing bed.

Waiting on the doctor, be damned.

Another nurse shook her head as the rest of the crew surrounded Amanda on the table. "Ma'am, it's clear you're pushing. I know it may feel involuntary, but you're not fully dilated yet so try to resist the urge and just focus on your breathing."

"Sweetie, did you hear that? J-just focus on your breathing, remember the classes we took, in and out." Jack tried to soothe his wife once more, wiping her head with the already soaked cloth in his other hand.

" _I_. _Am._ _**Breathing**_ **.** " Amanda gritted through her teeth. The little ounce of patience that was left in her was fading rapidly as the grip on her husband's hand all but tightened since the striking pain that compelled her to push more became her overall focus on top of her appropriate breathing techniques.

Jack resisted the urge to yelp as he lost the feeling in his hand and continued his attempt to be the ever supporting and comforting spouse. "A-Ams, Baby, don't worry. You got this. I'm right here. Just relax- "

At the words _"just relax",_ and as her pain reached an all-time high, Amanda finally snapped.

" **JACK! SH-SHUT UP! DO.** _ **NOT.**_ **TELL ME TO** _ **RELAX**_ **RIGHT NOW! YOU-!"**

Her enraged rant was interrupted as she let out another agonized wail of pain. She then managed to send a powerful glare to everyone in the room.

" **GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME RIGHT NOW OR I SWEAR I'LL DO IT MYSELF-OH, MY GOD!"**

" **OH, MY GOD! MY HAND!"** Jack had little time to react to his wife's outburst as he nearly doubled over, groaning loudly in unison with her to their respective pain sources: hers being the pain of finally being fully dilated, and his being the pain of his wife's crushing grip on his hand tightening even further due to her finally being fully dilated.

* * *

 **Meanwhile back at the cemetery…**

Charlotte managed to hide her uncertainty with a bright smile as she nodded at her nephew who was still waiting for her answer regarding his stepmother's condition. "I'm sure she's… _managing_ right now. Having a kid is no easy task, but you know what? She's going to be just fine. Don't worry."

She then took out her phone to check for any new messages, but sighed when she saw that there were none, but smiled and ruffled Carl's bangs once more. "Well, come on, let's go grab a bite to eat. Your dad hasn't texted me back with a status yet and I know you must hungry, now. And it's cold out here!"

"Kay! Let me just say hi to Grandpa and give him his flowers too, 'cause I almost forgot!" The boy rushed to the headstone that was next to his mother's.

"Hi Grandpa David! It's me, Carl! I'm sorry I'm the only one here to say hi today. Mom would have been here like usual, but she's a little busy having the baby right now. You're gonna be a Grandpa again today and I'm officially going to be a big brother! Hopefully I'll be a good one…I…I wish you and my mother were here…" Carl's voice softened as he placed the blue hydrangeas on top of the headstone. "A-anyways, mom and dad send their best. She wanted me to drop these off for you. Hope you like them. I picked them out myself! Well…I gotta go now, but I promise I'll be back with mom and dad and the baby soon." Before he got up to leave with his Aunt, Carl looked at both his mother and grandfather's headstones and traced a double-infinity sign on both of their graves whispering,

" _We all love you both, infinity times infinity…"_

* * *

 **Meanwhile somewhere in a local 'Babies R Us' store…**

Though the current activity of picking out various accessories and goodies for his pending niece or nephew's birthday proved to be a rather joyous one for Nolan Ross as he looked at the rack of tasteful designed baby bibs and toys, he couldn't help but freeze completely as some little boys in the next section over chased each other around the isle with Nerf guns, aiming the toys and shooting mercilessly at one another with excitement, despite their mother's scolding for them to stop.

Their excitement was his horror as flashbacks plagued his mind once more…

" _ **AMANDA! NO!"**_

 _ **BANG! BANG!**_

" _ **I-I really just killed him, didn't I?"**_

" _ **I-I killed someone…"**_

"… _ **killed…someone…"**_

Suddenly, hearing the rushing sound of a shopping cart's wheels racing towards him, Nolan jumped from being broken out of his thoughts and flinched as the basket stopped just short of running him over as a cheerful Louise Ellis smiled at him, eager to show him her items she had in mind for the baby.

Nolan blinked for a moment, coming back to reality as he looked at what Louise was holding in her hand, and let out a chuckle without meaning to. Needless to say, he was thankful for the distraction overall.

" _Well_ , I know whose side _you're_ on!" Nolan exclaimed, with a quick shake of his head as his eyes glanced apprehensively at the tiny, bright pink frilly dress Louise was holding up, not losing her wide smile.

…Knowing, but not having the heart to tell her that Amanda would never let her baby be seen in it…

It was obvious that Louise was team "baby girl" all the way; as proven by the slew of pink and purple frilly, sparkly little newborn clothes strewn all over her right arm, despite the very, very few little infant sized tuxedos that were buried under piles of infant dresses and skirts.

"Adorable, right?" She sighed happily, not looking for his affirmation as she added it to the precarious pile of clothes about to topple off her arm without delay since her basket was already full to the brim. Shopping was always a fun time for her. After all, who didn't get excited about new clothes and styles and materials to doll themselves up in, but eying all the delightful little baby clothes in the store had her thinking that she might have found her new favorite hobby.

She could practically feel the endorphins bouncing around in her head!

Words couldn't describe how excited she was for this new baby girl…or boy…

It wasn't that she was opposed to a baby boy. It was just that that she'd always wanted a baby sister as a little girl. Someone who she could have braided hair for, painted nails, and as they had gotten older, given solid advice over boys.

She was much too old to have a little sister now of course, but having a precious goddaughter would be close enough.

Yes, she would be a godmother.

After all, she'd been leaving subtle hints to the Porters for months after the news had broken…and finally, just two weeks ago, she'd officially been dubbed the Godmother of their second child, and Nolan the Godfather. Words couldn't describe the joy she had felt in that moment, it was more than just being graced with the title of _godmother_ , but what that word truly meant…

It meant that she was family…

In a more tangible, defined way, than what she had felt before.

Nonetheless, their first task as godmother and godfather was shopping for baby clothes and furniture which explained why they were now in their second hour at _Babies R Us_. Though if you asked Amanda or Jack, they most likely just sent them off, wanting a little space from the buzzing redhead and giddy blonde, so that they could let out their own feelings of excitement, fear, and nerves, without the room being overloaded with all that positive energy.

Especially since the vibes Amanda was giving off were anything but positive once her water had broken…

Also, and most importantly, the couple just needed time to breathe alone, just the two of them… or three of them, as one should say.

Nolan immediately scoffed at Louise's basket and walked behind her to another shelf.

"Come on, you haven't spilled yet, are you more team _baby girl_ or team _baby boy_ " Louise asked with a sly smile, nudging him as she watched Nolan pick up a more gender neutral outfit for the newborn…along with a few shirts and showed it to her with pride.

Louise resisted the urge to facepalm at his choices…

The first shirt was yellow and had an image of a computer with a smiley face on it, the second, a black Star Wars shirt with the R2-D2 character on it, and the third, a light blue shirt that was labeled, " _Status: Nooborn a.k.a. Pownage in the making_ ".

"I'm team _tech baby_. That's what _I_ am. He or she will be hacking into the NASA by 12, mark my words!" Nolan replied with a confident smile.

"You're ridiculous!" Louise finally laughed, "And that's illegal, you know Amanda would beat your ass if you encourage her child into hacking high top-secret organizations." She wagged her finger at him in a playful scolding manner.

"Well, I'll have you know, my illegal activity has saved her ass many a time." Nolan retorted with a smirk. "And _you're_ the ridiculous one! You only want a baby girl so that you have an excuse to re-watch all those _Disney princess_ movies you hide behind your T.V."

"They're classics! Diamond editions at that!" Louise replied defensively, her cheeks turning red, "A-and at least _I_ don't still watch _Iron-Man_ cartoons in my pajamas!" She couldn't help but tease.

"Hey! That was _one_ time when I was sick!", Nolan replied unashamedly, forgetting that she'd once, unfortunately, caught him a while back… "And you can't even deny that he's the best superhero!"

"Oh no, we're not getting into this argument again." Louise replied shaking her head as she turned the next corner of the store, her eyes landing on the cutest little baby hat with a rather large red ribbon tied into the side of it, "I'm not drunk enough…" she joked with a flirty wink before tossing the hat into the basket. "And besides, we have our own _superhero mission_ to get done: roundin' up all these baby clothes!"

"Fine. Anyways, I was thinking…" Nolan started before mumbling under his breath, "…if you ever hurry up and avoid buying the whole store, that maybe afterwards, we should go out and _celebrate_ …" he suggested lightly, his eyes catching her own and feeling something, he couldn't quite define…

Ever since the…the unexpected kiss she'd planted on him, and in a crazy, vulnerable moment no less after quite a few tragic events, his head, or heart he supposed, had been in a state of unrest; her lips having stirred up something inside of him he didn't quite understand…

At first, he appreciated the distraction of his conflicted emotions as it diverted his attention from his former darker action that left him traumatized, but the more time and effort he put into thinking about his mixed emotions and the red head in general…the more confused he felt about where exactly they stood…

Still, he couldn't deny that he loved being around her. She was such a fun, bright spirit; a whirlwind of sorts that swept you up in that huge heart of hers. She never failed being the first one to raise his spirits when he was down or doubting himself, especially recently as she found out eventually, inadvertently from an outburst on his end…what had happened at the warehouse months back…

…What he had done…

Her actions in turn, were what he did not expect: her nonjudgmental comfort, her seriousness to ensure that he was alright and his safety, her encouragement yet patience with him to talk when ready and seek the proper help, or just the amazing ability to just sit with him in total silence yet offer her full support at the same time by just being there…

She never failed to make him smile one way or another…

She had such a warm infectious laugh, that it was impossible not to laugh with her. Plus, she was the only one who could outbake his infamous blueberry muffins, which had once made the rounds around the Hampton's.

Louise Ellis was beautiful; she truly was; both inside and undeniably out…His one and only wonder twin…

But maybe…just maybe…it was time to be more.

"Celebrate our new title?" Louise asked with a warm smile, a smile that always seemed to reach her eyes especially when she looked at him. Nolan had been her first real friend in the Hamptons, and the first person to see her for who she truly was, as opposed to who her mother had led people, including herself to believe she was. He was always there for her when she needed him, and the most caring person she knew. Plus, she couldn't deny that the two of them together at any Hampton's event never failed to steal the whole damn show with their bold fashion statements. Through thick and thin and through the darkest of times, they understood each other. That's what she loved most about their relationship, what she always loved about it in fact. But if that impulsive kiss and the sparks it had elicited had told her anything, maybe just maybe it was time for their relationship to evolve…

Maybe…?

"Of course," Nolan replied reciprocating her smile, as he walked up to her and slowly almost sensually kissed her on her faintly flushed cheek and added, "…among other things, _kitten_ ", in only the stylish way, Nolan Ross could, before walking ahead with the basket leaving her stunned as she blinked, her cheeks flushing further.

She bit her lip, holding back the urge to squeal as she did a small little dance and rushed to catch up to him as he made it to the checkout line.

Hoping and wishing that…it would all be for real this time…

Yeah, just maybe.

* * *

 **An hour later at a local café downtown…**

"You know, your parents are going to kill me if I told them how much sweets I'm letting you eat right now under _my_ watch…" Charlotte groaned as she watched her nephew indulge in what would be his fourth slice of apple pie.

"So, don't tell them. That way you get to stay alive and I can still eat pie. Everyone wins!" Carl shrugged and wiggled his eyebrows, shooting his Aunt a cheesy smile.

"Hmph. Nice try. Well then, I'll have to make sure my _niece_ won't be as spoiled rotten as you." Charlotte joked putting emphasis on the word _niece_ that Carl picked up right away.

"Yeah right, if you're even gonna have a _niece_. Dad and Uncle Nolan are putting their bets on the baby being a boy." Carl smirked at his Aunt.

She rolled her eyes in response. "Ugh. Don't remind me. Javier texted me about it weeks ago, wondering if money was involved…Guys can be such…Guys! That's why it's time for another girl to come into the picture." Charlotte smiled pridefully.

"Whatever you say." Carl shrugged carelessly once more before taking another bite of his dessert.

"Okay. Out with it already. What are _you_ hoping for? A brother or a sister?" Charlotte smirked at him.

"Isn't it obvious?" Carl looked away sheepishly. "I-I didn't help my dad come up with _JDP_ for nothing ya know…"

Charlotte wanted to ask what the name _JDP_ stood for, but Carl kept talking. "-And well, Dad kind of already picked out both the Jets and Yankees sportswear and accessories since mom wouldn't let him fully decorate the nursery…"

"So, you want a brother then." Charlotte said matter-of-factly.

"Well…Don't tell dad anything, but I kind of wouldn't mind maybe having a _sister_ actually…" Carl mumbled and rubbed his neck with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, really?" Charlotte smiled cheekily at him. "And why is that?"

Carl looked away once more, contemplating his answer. It'd be too easy to just say that he felt sorry for his stepmother being the only "girl" in the household with him, dad, and Skipper outnumbering her and that having another girl in the house would only be fair. He also thought about maybe using the excuse that Christmas and Birthdays would just go so much smoother if he had all his respective gender appropriate presents for himself while his supposed little sister would just have all the _girly_ stuff and he wouldn't have to share like he saw so many of his friends had to do with their respective siblings, but that would just doom him to a "Sharing is caring" lecture from her. He could even use the excuse that maybe the sort of cute girl in his class who sat next to him and always brought her little sister around convinced him that having a sister would be kind of nice.

Or he could just tell the truth...

That after being the one who's had to depend on so many others throughout his life that maybe for once, _he_ wanted to be the bigger person and to have someone around him that would depend on _him_ for a change without the risk of catching cooties…

Someone delicate and different who would care for him without a second thought and look up to him…

Someone he could feel important around and would look up to him as a hero and who he could teach a variety of things and play with at the same time without so much aggression like he did with his friends…

…Someone he could protect so that he'd never face the possibility of losing someone special again…

He thought it'd be a nice change of pace…

After thinking about his answer and fiddling with his mother's sacred necklace he kept with him in his pocket, Carl looked back towards his Aunt and smiled sheepishly once more while shrugging and taking another bite of his pie. "I just do."

Before Charlotte could question him any further, her phone vibrated and she reached for it immediately, smiling when she read the text message. Biting her lip, holding back her excitement, she turned back to her nephew.

"Well, come on. We'd better get back to the hospital now. Your dad just texted me."

"He did?! Is it mom?! Did she have the baby yet?! She did, didn't she?! Finally! Ooh, ooh, boy or girl?! Boy or girl?!" Carl jumped up from his seat and tried reaching over his Aunt to grab her phone, only for her to hold it away from him as she shot him a wink.

"Well, let's just say, you better hope your dad kept the receipts for all that sports stuff…"

* * *

 **Meanwhile back at the hospital…**

Despite the busy noises that were happening outside in the hallway of the high-risk maternity ward as business carried on with nurses and other medical staff roaming the halls tending to other patients, the tender, life-changing moment was not obstructed in the slightest as Amanda kept her tired yet attentive chestnut gaze on the small newborn bundle of joy that was now cleaned up, wrapped generously in a soft blanket, and nestled securely on the warm skin of her chest.

What were just minutes of pure agony that seemed like it would never end, turned into one of the most tender and joyful moments of her life that she wished could last forever…

It was all too surreal to say the least, but it had finally happened.

Amanda Porter nee Clarke had just given birth to a precious baby girl.

Despite the soreness of her body and exhaustion that was ready to claim her, she couldn't tear her eyes away from her tiny miracle as they continued to bond in comforting silence.

She barely even heard her husband quietly creep back into the room as he put his cell phone back into his pocket.

"Well, I just got through letting Carl and Charlotte know the good news, so they should be back here soon. I wish you could've heard him, Am." Jack said chuckling slightly, "Our boy is literally bursting at the seams right now…Looks like you were right about what he was hoping for."

Amanda just nodded softly, letting a quiet chuckle escape her lips as her hazel eyes still locked fervently to the nursing infant.

Jack smiled softly as he walked up to his wife and ran a hand gently through her slightly matted golden tresses, kissing her forehead sweetly.

"She's so beautiful Amanda…just like you." He said fondly in a voice that was slightly above a whisper, full of emotion as he locked eyes on his newborn daughter.

She knew his statement was not flattery as she took in all the soft features of their child. She was quite a delicate yet delightful sight to behold with dark brown hair like her father's, but her eyes…

Oh, her eyes…

Amanda let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as the infant shifted slightly and opened her bright, shining eyes, locking them onto her own as confirmation: a declaration that she recognized her as her mother…

It was as if she were staring in a mirror…

The baby's eyes were the very reflection of her own as they sparkled with such fragile faith…

The same fragile faith that shone with pure innocence in Amanda Clarke's eyes when she was a child: ebullient and yet to be tainted by the evils of reality that overtook her later in life. But she saw something else beyond herself in the child's chocolate colored gaze as well…

She saw _someone_ else…

The thought of the person that came into Amanda's mind made her swallow a lump that formed in her throat as she barely heard her husband speak once more.

"Have you thought of what we should name her yet?" Jack asked softly.

After a moment in silence, not taking her eyes off the child and still letting the thoughts overrule her mind in the form of shining yet stinging memories, Amanda nodded softly and whispered.

"… _Kara…"_

It only took a moment for Jack to understand her reasoning as realization hit him. "…After your mom..." He almost whispered. Amanda turned her eyes from the baby to give Jack a soft yet wistful look.

He gave an empathetic expression. "…I know if she could be here- "

"-but she can't." Amanda finished with finality in her tone, as she softly nodded before continuing. "And that's okay…Dad can't either…You know what today is…"

Jack nodded solemnly not needing to say anymore as he continued to stroke his wife's hair tenderly in comfort. Ironically, it was the day David Clarke had passed away...

"…It was painful…" Amanda uttered softly before shrugging slightly. "Everything up to that point was…But despite that, something beautiful happened today; a miracle. _Our_ miracle, Jack…A-and I can't describe the feeling of it all…it's like…No, it is… _a healing_. A second chance to have something that was lost to me… _life_. And so, when I think back on my dad…and mom…I want the memory of them to bring happiness since it's a chance for me to be the mother I never had the chance to truly have…a memorial of _her_ name to ensure that I will take that chance no matter what the cost. I'll do whatever it takes to be here for her…to be a good mom to both of our kids…To Kara and Carl."

"I know you will…You're already a fantastic mother Am. And we're going to give it our all. No matter what. Both of us…" Jack reassured, agreeing to her earlier explanation as he lightly squeezed her hand as confirmation. The new parents smiled lovingly at each other as they locked eyes tenderly in silence, taking in the moment, before leaning in to kiss each other gently.

After a minute, Jack broke away and gently took the now sleeping newborn in his arms, rocking her softly to prevent her from stirring and whining as his enervated wife attempted to get more comfortable in the bed, being careful of her IV as sleep was eager to overtake her.

Jack practically beamed at his daughter as he held her. "Alright, so it's settled then; Kara Stephanie Porter it is."

Amanda raised an eyebrow at him in amusement as she smiled tiredly at him.

"What? You got to add _your_ mom's name in." Jack smiled cheekily at her.

Amanda let out a silent laugh, shaking her head. "It's perfect. I'm sure Stevie will be honored."

"…So…I guess I should take back all the Sport accessories, huh?" Jack reluctantly mentioned with a sheepish little smile, his disappointment at the thought of returning all his thought-out purchases, evident in his expression.

His wife shook her head, raising her eyebrows in amusement. "Nah, keep them, you never know…Maybe she'll be into it when she gets older…Though for now if I were you, rather than focusing solely on Yankees blue and Jet's green designs, I'd probably start thinking of breaking out the Disney with Little Mermaid's _Ariel_ , or Frozen's _Elsa_ in the meantime…"

Jack inwardly cringed at the thought of the songs that would soon to be stuck in his head in the near future as he reluctantly nodded, giving in to fate.

Amanda wanted to smirk, but yawned instead before she noticed her husband's hand and frowned guiltily, remorse clear in her heavy eyes. "…How's your hand?"

Jack tilted his head slightly and blinked with confusion for a moment before he glanced at his thoroughly bandaged left hand that was supposed to be resting on an ice pack due to severe swelling and bruising...

He fought the wince that resulted from the throbbing and waved her off. "Huh? Oh, d-don't worry about it. It's fine. 'Can't even feel a thing."

"You were bleeding…" She pointed out as if retorting, her guilt increasing as she noticed the faint blood stain on his bandage, realizing the damage she unintentionally caused him during her active labor stage due to all the times where she neglected to trim her ever growing nails that resulted from pregnancy hormones…

It certainly did not help Jack's case at all as she remembered how tightly she was squeezing his hand at the time…

"See, I didn't even notice, because I couldn't feel anything, so like I said, I'm fine." Jack shrugged and countered with an uneasy smirk, determined to reassure his wife despite his hand throbbing worse due to the pressure of holding their newborn daughter.

"And you say _I'm_ stubborn…" Amanda joked, her voice slurring as she let out another yawn.

He rolled his eyes playfully at her, scoffing. "You are. You've yet to get your rest. I know you're tired."

Amanda managed to shake her head as Jack finally decided to place the baby down in her open isolette crib next to her, ready to be displayed for their loved ones to see before the nurses would take her back into the nursery unit.

"I…want…to see everyone's reaction to…our daughter…first…" Amanda insisted weakly, holding back yet another yawn with determination.

Jack gave her a dry look shaking his head slightly before leaning over the baby. "Karey Berry, listen to daddy I beg of you, 'cause I know you're most likely going to be like your mother in every way, but please, for your old man's sake and sanity, don't have too much of a hard-head. That's all I ask of you." He dramatically whispered to the baby as if making a prayer before kissing her little pink colored newborn cap softly.

It was Amanda's turn to roll her eyes. "Fine…Alright, I'll try to get some rest…Just do me a favor and make sure everyone behaves themselves…and that the _godmother_ doesn't eat our baby…You know how Lou gets when something's too cute…"

Before Jack could nod in agreement or say anything, as if on cue, the door burst open as Carl rushed in followed by Charlotte, Nolan, Louise, and Stevie who had their hands full of cutely wrapped boxes and pink and purple balloons hailing the baby girl's greeting to the world.

"Mom! Dad! Where is she?! Is she here?!" Carl rushed his words excitedly only to be shushed by the adults in the room.

"Sorry...I-is the baby here? I wanna see her!" Carl asked once more in a quieter voice.

"She's right here, but you have to keep your voice down, Son. Your new sister's asleep and she's a handful if you wake her up." Jack smiled at his son as he moved out of the way so he could see his stepmother and the baby.

"Carl, Sweetie…and everyone, we'd like you to meet Kara Stephanie Porter." Amanda proudly announced.

Charlotte and Louise practically held hands and jumped up and down, holding back their squeals as they got a good look at the baby before taking out their phones, snapping photos with a vengeance. Stevie, touched by the child's name, smiled gently at the couple, removing her designer glasses to wipe away her now teary eyes. Nolan beamed as his blue eyes misted at the tangible evidence of his best friends' long-awaited dream come true. "Omg…She's-she's beautiful you guys…and Ams, she looks so much like you! I bet she even has your eyes…"

"She does." Jack confirmed with a smirk, pecking his wife's forehead once more, eliciting a smile from her.

Carl was the first one to finally walk up to the slumbering newborn, smiling gently at the innocent sight of her. "Whoa…she's so tiny…" He marveled quietly, inducing a chuckle from his parents. "H-hi Kara, I'm Carl Your new big brother. We're going to have so much fun together! I'm going to teach you everything I know about everything!" He whispered eagerly, his excitement growing as he watched the baby stir and shift slightly in her sleep as if it was her response to his greeting.

His parents' smiles only grew wider.

Carl then cautiously backed away, not wanting to wake her and make her cry but smiled as his dad gave him a side hug before moving away so that his stepmom could press a soft kiss to his forehead and ruffle his hair. He then walked to another part of the room so that the others could get their turn at viewing his new baby sister. The nine-and-a-half-year-old continued to look at the fragile little human being once more before having a thought…

" _I promise to protect you no matter what…I'm going to be your hero! You'll see."_

Once Charlotte almost filled her iPhone's space with a slew of snapshots of the baby, she turned to her sister, eyes sparkling. "Oh, my god, she is too perfect, sis! You're going to have your hands full with this one, especially when _I'm_ done with her!" Charlotte cooed her silent threat as she smirked at her sister and brother in law who only returned her expression, all the while holding back their uneasiness of what Charlotte Clarke had up her sleeve for their child in the future…

"Ditto times infinity for me! _Oh-ho-ho_ , I have _much_ to teach you my little _apprentice_ …" Nolan cooed creepily as he jokingly waved his hand over the baby as if casting a spell, only for Amanda to slap it immediately.

"Don't. You. _Dare._ " She and Jack warned in unison, glaring knowingly at Nolan. For all they knew, he'd have their child hacking into NASA or the CIA databases at 12 years old if they didn't do anything…

Nolan just wiggled his eyebrows at them in defiance shooting them his infamous smirk as a response.

"Well I'll be danged if I didn't just die and gone' on to heaven because this is just the cutest little darlin' angel I ever did see! And ya'll are right, she looks just like her momma, good lordy!" Louise beamed, folding her hands together as she drew closer to the child, practically squealing at that point. "She's so precious! Ooh I could just break out my finest china dishes and whip cream and just eat. Her. UP!"

" **-Please don't."** Everyone in the room deadpanned seriously in unison, knowing how the red head could get.

Though she was tired beyond belief and was ready to finally fall asleep, Amanda couldn't help but smile endearingly at everyone in the room as she watched Stevie Grayson hug her son and grandson, telling them both how proud she was before viewing the baby herself. She turned her eyes towards Charlotte and Louise who were arguing over whose gifts for the baby would be cuter and better as they eventually rushed out of the room and to their cars to retrieve the presents, demanding for Nolan to help them out with delivering all the said gifts…

She then looked down at her arm, still being careful not to move the IV in a certain way that would cause her pain, only to notice the weathered yet still functional beaded bracelet that was next to the golden charm one her husband got her for their 7th year anniversary.

She sighed as she thought about where the bracelet came from…

* * *

 **Flashback to 3 months ago…**

 _Taking the caution to adjust to the chilly environment and maintain her balance by slowly rising out of her seat, yet not wasting any time as she informed the pilot that the trip would not take long, Amanda Porter nee Clarke exited the private jet Nolan so generously lent at her urgent request as she took in the scenery of the vast snowy and stony mountains that surrounded the remote island that stretched for miles from where the plane just landed._

 _One would easily feel helpless and lost if they were in such a broad place since its horizons seemed endless, but she knew the area in its entirety all too well…_

 _Nonetheless, knowing that she was not alone on the trip, she decelerated her pace as her husband slowly walked up next to her, clearly in awe at his current surroundings._

"… _S-so…this, is it?" Jack Porter asked his wife. She gave an affirmative nod in response. "Yeah…This is Rebun Island._

" _I know that you were never kidding when you said you went far away for your_ _ **training**_ _, but I-I didn't think that you'd actually come all the way to Japan to do it; I mean, look at this place! It's completely barren and in the middle of nowhere. There's nothing here!" Jack sputtered._

 _Amanda couldn't help the secretive smile that graced the corner of her lips. "…You're a sailor. You should know better than to judge what the mere surface looks like when there's so much to explore. Consider this place like the ocean. There's much more here than what meets the eye. Trust me…I know…"_

 _As he listened to his wife, he couldn't help but find himself mesmerized at the nostalgic look in her expression; her brown eyes sharpening as she was deep in thought about the history of their current location. He also couldn't help but admire her beauty as the subtle winds made her lengthy golden hair billow in the breeze yet shine in the sunlight, along with the flowing fabric of her cream-colored tunic blouse that contrasted with her black legging pants, but was an outfit comfortable and flexible enough considering the extra weight she was carrying..._

 _She suddenly put a hand to her well-protruded stomach and sucked in a slight hiss._

 _Jack was at her side in an instant. "W-what is it?! What's wrong?! Are you alright?! Is the baby okay?!"_

" _Jack." Amanda started, but her husband kept going._

" _Y-you looked like you were in pain! You're not in pain, are you?! You are, aren't you?! You're just not saying it!"_

" _Jack!" Amanda tried again, holding back a sigh as she knew where this was going…_

" _Sh-sh-should we go back? We should go back. It's not ideal for you both to be out here anyways. Screw what the doc said! I don't care that he cleared you medically for travel temporarily, you're obviously-"_

" _ **-JACK!"**_

 _Jack paused his babbling as he looked at her with clear concern, only for her to shake her head. "Will you calm down? I'm fine. The baby was just saying_ _ **hi**_ _by kicking me again…This one was a little sharper than usual and it caught me off guard that's all."_

 _Jack sighed with relief. "Oh, thank god, I thought that something was…I-I mean, so-you're okay?"_

" _ **We're**_ _fine, My Love…Stop worrying so much, kay?" Amanda smiled reassuringly at him as she cupped his face softly in her hands, rubbing her nose against his until the gesture eventually elicited a reluctant smile from him. Once she confirmed that he was alright, she broke away from him and continued walking forwards, her expression completely serious as her mind focused on their mission..._

" _Are you sure you're ready to do this?" Jack asked with reluctance, making his wife pause in silence for a moment before she pulled out a little worn out piece of jewelry that was the purpose of why they were there in the first place._

"… _I have to…_ _ **We have to**_ _…We made her a promise…"_

" _And we're going to keep it. Don't worry, we're not backing out of it, especially since we're already here. I was just…making sure that you were ready…" Jack reassured softly as he eyed the bracelet in her hand._

 _Amanda nodded fervently as confirmation before walking ahead of her husband. Jack went to catch up to her until she suddenly turned around and rushed back to the plane, realizing she almost forgot something. He watched her pull out a strangely long, slender shaped bag with an adjustable shoulder strap that he realized was a carrier case for something, but he had no idea what…_

 _But he thought it looked familiar somehow, at least it did in a movie he watched before…_

" _What's that?" He asked curiously._

 _His wife looked down reluctantly as she adjusted the bag around her shoulder till the strap was secure across her chest and shrugged with a light smile. "Just an important school supply I might need." She continued walking ahead of him once more, taking a certain dirt pathway not too far from the Island's shore._

" _And…I'm assuming your_ _ **school**_ _is somewhere close by?" Jack asked with slight suspicion as he kept his eyes on the bag she was carrying._

 _Amanda nodded, noticing Jack's uneasiness. "It is. Relax, there's nothing to worry about…Just be sure to stay close and don't make any sudden movements, you'll be fine."_

 _Jack raised an eyebrow, ready to question her instructions before she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, holding out a hand firmly in front of him to keep him from walking any further. "Hold on."_

" _What is it now?" Jack asked, noticing how his wife's nerves were now completely on edge, a sharp focus acute in her eyes as she examined their surroundings before her eyes widened._ _ **"Jack! Move!"**_

 _Before her husband could say or do anything, she abruptly shoved him out of the way, behind her as a black streak flew past them and landed onto the dirt pathway, only for the black cladded figure to suddenly fall into it, as it was revealed to be a deep pit that was camouflaged to look like an ordinary pathway. Before Jack could recover from what happened, he watched his wife swiftly unzip her bag and unsheathe what looked to be a katana and then point it at the black cladded figure whose eyes widened at her graceful yet rapid movements._

 _Jack's blue eyes practically bulged from their sockets._ _ **"AMANDA?! W-WHAT THE FU-?!"**_

" _ **-Fukanō!**_ _(Impossible!) No mere outsider could have possibly evaded my detection like that! Who are you?! Koko ni anata no bijinesu o shōkai shite kudasai! (State your business here!)" The black cladded figure demanded._

 _Amanda did not miss a beat as she scoffed at him, yet kept her voice calm and firm. "Anata wa Takeda Satoshi-shi jishin ga kunren shita yūshūna gakusei o miryō shiyou to suru no wa orokadeshita. (You were foolish to try and outsmart a superior student trained by Master Satoshi Takeda himself.) I am Amanda Clarke, formerly known here none other than as Emily Thorne."_

 _The dark cladded figure's eyes widened even further as he pulled himself out of the pit and bowed with respect, losing his tough façade and sputtering out apologies while now speaking in perfect English. "M-M-Miss Thorne! Y-you must excuse my rudeness and rash behavior…I-if I would have kn-known it was you-but the-the word is that you were never to return here again and I- "_

 _Amanda's eyebrows rose with amusement as she sheathed her weapon and placed it back into her bag. "-Hm. So, my reputation precedes me, it seems. You must be a new student..."_

 _The young man nodded reluctantly as confirmation. "Y-yes, I am Miss Thorne-I mean, Miss Clarke. Sorry…"_

 _Amanda nodded before she continued. "Well, for your information, I go by_ _ **Mrs. Porter**_ _now, but that's not the point. I wish to speak to the master here. Your current Sensei, Niko Takeda. Where can I find her?"_

 _The figure pulled off his black hood, revealing to be a young, dirty blonde haired man in his early twenties and looked away from Amanda reluctantly as he responded to her inquiry. "M-Mistress…I-I mean Sensei is currently giving an important lecture in the dojo at the top of the mountain…But, you must know that she never speaks to anyone individually unless invited in her presence. And…from what we've heard about you…she- "_

" _-She's going to want to speak to me. Believe me. My husband and I have urgent information for her that she must know immediately regarding someone that was close to her…Someone_ _ **legendary**_ _…" Amanda insisted as she stood next to her still shaken spouse who was still trying to grasp everything that was happening._

" _Wakarimasu I-I-mean, I understand…Come then. I'll take you to her now."_

" _Actually, if it's not too much trouble, I'd rather opt for an alternative route to get there, as my condition for climbing isn't the same as it used to be." Amanda smiled awkwardly as she rubbed her extended stomach and observed the area. "Seems like this place got an upgrade judging by the new booby trap entrances. I'm sure there must be some form of transportation that's available to get us to the top?"_

" _Oh! O-of course! I'll go make the proper accommodations." The man bowed respectively once more, and Amanda returned it after thanking him._

 _Once the man was gone, Amanda bit her lip and dared to turn towards her husband whose eyes were still wide from the peculiar encounter. "…You okay?" She asked softly._

 _Jack's mouth continued to gape like a fish as his hands made different gestures, trying to express his shock. "WHAT THE?! H-HOW DID YOU?! WH-WHEN WERE YOU-?! WHERE DID YOU GET-H-H-HOW DID YOU EVEN-?!" Overwhelmed by his emotions of his bewilderment, but failing to get out his words properly, he simply sighed long and hard, running a hand through his hair and over his face before facing her. "Amanda…What the hell just happened?"_

"… _School reunion?" She offered with a sheepish smile._

 _Jack just gave her a deadpanned expression that was borderline interrogating._

 _Hearing the honking sound of a vehicle that she guessed to be their way of transport, Amanda held back a sigh of relief as she quickly changed the subject. "We should go." She nodded at him, even though Jack's scolding expression refused to let up. He followed her to the vehicle, but the message of his narrowed piercing blue eyes was clear._

 _They were definitely going to have an interesting little chat later…_

 _Once they made it to the top, heading towards the Dojo, Amanda noticed a variety of students that were either training on the side, or near the building who sent her mixed looks. Some were out of respect and others were spiteful. Either way, they were all out of recognition of her presence._

" _You'll have to forgive some of the students here Ms. Clar-I mean, Mrs. Porter. You're known as one of the legendries around here, but as far as your mission and how it ended…it's started a controversy amidst the students of whether you truly completed it and were worthy of Sensei Takeda's honor of perfecting the art of revenge, or if you are the weakest of us all here in failing to do so completely..."_

" _What's that supposed to mean?" Jack's eyes narrowed defensively._

" _It's alright Jack. I know what he's saying." Amanda stated calmly. "A lot of things…happened that paved the path of my journey. I wasn't as in control as I thought I was in a lot of instances and ultimately, when it came to the end of it, I made my choice. Others can take that for what they will, but I have no regrets, regardless." Amanda explained looking down at her double infinity tattoo._

 _The young man nodded. "That's understandable. We all have our own paths and choices I suppose…Ms. Winters said something similar to what you just said as well."_

" _Is she still here?" Amanda raised her head and asked with curiosity, remembering the woman she had a brief connection with the last time she spent her time on the Island._

 _The young man gave a look of uncertainty. "Her current situation is…_ _ **unknown**_ _unfortunately. There's no telling what happened in her journey…"_

 _Amanda nodded solemnly in response as the vehicle stopped._

 _Once she and her husband were dropped off in front of the large yet not ostentatious building, the young man informed her that Niko was inside and agreed to see her, but only if she came alone. Jack wanted to protest, but Amanda assured him that she wouldn't be long and he reluctantly agreed to stay outside to wait for her. Amanda then walked inside cautiously, her cream-colored lacy low-heels were barely heard clacking against the concrete floors as she heard Niko Takeda yell indignantly at her students as she flipped hair long raven braided hair over her shoulder._

" _ **Awarena! (Pathetic!), Yowai! (Weak!), Hazukashī! (Disgraceful!)**_ _I swear that my father would roll over in his grave at the dishonor you are bringing to this so-called sparring match! Motivation is everything when it comes to the art of vengeance! You must not let exhaustion be your overall focus! In this case, exhaustion and pain are your ultimate allies! Let the pain be your fuel as it reminds you of your purpose! If you let your emotions and heart rule over your mind, you are destined to fail! I expect better next time or you're all banished from my Island_ _ **! Rikai sa reta?! (Understood?!)**_

" _ **Hai, Sensei! (Yes, Sensei!)"**_ _The massive group of students replied in perfect unison as they bowed._

" _Good. Now get out of my sight." Niko shooed them off with a wave of her hand as she kept her back turned. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone that was not dressed in black and white GIs like everyone else was, nor did she bare the same look of bitterness that everyone else had. But it was someone she recognized before. Oh, she remembered the woman's slightly curled blonde hair perfectly._

 _In fact,_ _ **perfect**_ _was the only word she's ever heard that was associated with the woman according to her deceased father and lost deceased lover…_

 _The lover she lost to_ _ **her**_ _of all people…_

 _No matter how sharp her skills were, no matter how superior, she always failed in comparison to the blonde._

 _She had to fight to keep her fists from clenching at the thought as she heard everyone leave the room and the blonde woman's footsteps draw nearer._

" _Emily." Niko stated professionally, though the spite in her accented voice was evident as she continued to keep her back turned._

" _It's Amanda." Amanda corrected impulsively before shutting her eyes, admonishing herself for her hastiness. This wasn't exactly how she wanted their conversation to start, as she could already feel the thick tension grow even more heavier between them as the woman scoffed._

" _Hmph, right._ _ **Amanda**_ _. State your business here and make it fast. I have more important things to do."_

 _Amanda expected the hostility so she didn't flinch. Instead, she tried a light-hearted approach. "...Seems like you've been pretty busy since the last time I saw you. Being the new Sensei and all, taking the reins of operating the school…I'm sure your father would be proud…"_

"… _Well, he's dead. So, we can't be too sure of that now can we,_ _ **Amanda**_ _? Besides, let's not kid ourselves as we know whom his favoritism resided in even though you never succeeded his overall vision he had for you, despite all his hope and time that he invested or more so wasted for your cause."_

 _It was Amanda's turn to keep her fists from clenching at the insults, as if she never appreciated, cherished, or cared for the man who helped her, took her in, and trained her to be her best when she was in her lowest state. She took a deep breath, calming herself before she spoke. "Niko, I didn't come here to fight."_

 _Niko scoffed once more, still refusing to face her. "Hm, that's a shame. Maybe if that were the case, I wouldn't feel as if my time was being wasted by your presence. What do you want then, Clarke?"_

" _I'm here on behalf of…a friend…someone you knew…someone who is…who_ _ **was**_ _…close to you…Grace Adams." Amanda stated._

 _Even though her back was still turned towards her, Amanda could see Niko immediately tense up at the name mentioned._

" _I-I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I know no such person." Niko insisted sharply._

" _Oh, I think you do; especially considering how she was known none other than as the Ushinawareta kage no densetsu (lost shadow legend), before she took on the identity of Roxanne Meyers for her agenda against the Black Mamba Organization. She was Takeda's first student and apprentice and even more importantly…your best friend…" Amanda explained, her voice softening on the last part._

 _Niko finally had enough as she rounded on Amanda, getting up in her face. "How do you know all this?! TELL ME!"_

 _Amanda still didn't allow herself to flinch as she looked her straight in the eyes. "She told me everything herself…I met her when my best friend and husband were abducted by the very group she was after…She was kind enough to help me rescue them. If it wasn't for her...I…We owe her a great debt. She helped save my best friend, me, my husband, and helped keep our child safe…Our_ _ **children**_ _safe…"_

 _Niko looked at Amanda with slight confusion until she looked down and took in the blonde woman's appearance completely; her extended abdomen wasn't hard to miss. Her eyes then widened at the sight of what they both thought was impossible; especially since she was the one who helped cauterize Amanda's wounds at her request after she finished venting her bitterness of how she was doomed to be barren many years back._

 _The harshness in Niko's voice then diluted from her shock. "You're…but…I thought…I thought that you couldn't- "_

" _-So did I…" Amanda couldn't help but give a little smile as she put a hand to her well-rounded stomach. "A lot has happened since we last saw each other…"_

 _Niko reluctantly nodded. "…So, you know about her…Is she well? Wh-when was the last time you've heard from her?"_

 _The eagerness and concern in Niko's voice was painful and Amanda looked down, unsure of how to break the news, but knowing that it had to be done. Her sigh was shaky as she reluctantly pulled out the weathered friendship bracelet and showed it to Niko._

" _She…She wanted me to give this to you…"_

 _It was then, when she saw the hardened woman's eyes widen, that Amanda finally flinched; recognizing the realization that hit Niko of what the little piece of jewelry meant and the pain that came with it as she remembered the promise and conditions her best friend made regarding the bracelet…_

 _A moment of silence overtook them as Niko fought to steel herself and push down the emotions that overwhelmed her as she simply stared at the bracelet in Amanda's outstretched hand. "I see…So…She did it then. She really did it…"_

" _It's not what you think…" Amanda hesitated. Niko's eyes then shot up to hers as she continued. "It…it didn't end the way you're thinking…like the way she planned for it to happen…"_

" _What do you mean?" Niko demanded, trying to keep the shakiness out of her voice._

" _I mean…she didn't go through with it. She wiped out most of their members, trapped the bosses, and had them right where she wanted them, even tortured them for the hell of it…but she didn't kill them. She chose not to go that route for revenge…"_

" _Then…then how-?"_

" _-Once she decided to spare them, she was going to expose them as her takedown…but they already had a backup plan. Their headquarters was activated for self-destruction after one of the head members killed his own brother, but then he got away. Grace tried to find him, but…he found her first…"_

 _Niko felt her eyes sting as she shook her head. "I-I don't understand…Wh-why didn't she go through with it if she had them where she wanted them?! Wh-why let them go and be so-so stupid?!"_

" _She didn't want to be like them. She didn't want to fulfill Confucius' self-fulfilling prophecy about the Two-Graves. She wasn't ready."_

" _No. No-no that's bullshi-of-of-of course she was! She-she knew the risks despite everything I warned her about! She sure as hell didn't listen to me! So how did- "Niko paused her rant as she looked at Amanda once more. "…Did you speak to her?"_

 _Amanda nodded. "…I did. But I only told her from what I've learned from my own experience. She didn't listen at first. She was persistent…but it wasn't until the end when she decided not to go through with it, since she discovered that she wasn't completely lost to herself after all…She said that she only helped me as a personal inquiry of whether the Grace Adams she once was before still existed within her. Not only did she find out that she did still exist, but also that she wasn't ready to lose her entirely like she thought…"_

" _Sono baka…(That idiot…) Sono baka! (That idiot!)" Niko cursed as she felt the tears run down her face as she finally took the bracelet from Amanda's hand, clutching onto it for dear life. Nonetheless, despite her sorrow, she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel relieved at the fact that her best friend didn't lose her soul in the end like she anticipated._

 _But all that wasted time, and she never got to even say goodbye. She never expected to anyways, but still, the painful fact remained. She never got to say goodbye…_

 _Amanda looked at Niko with empathy, feeling helpless as the woman grieved her best friend. She struggled to find the right words to say for comfort, but failed and just remained silent._

" _What a waste…" Niko bitterly muttered._

" _It wasn't completely all a waste!" Amanda then insisted, "Her mission ended up being completed like she wanted. She asked me to use the leverage that she had on the Black Mambas to expose them to the public. They were all taken down in a domino effect then. They're not a threat anymore and justice was served like she desired; like she always wanted…For herself, her family, her fiancée…and her baby…"_

 _Niko remained silent, taking in Amanda's words as she finally nodded at her, wiping the last, of what would be many later, tears away as she steeled herself and managed to look at Amanda with a sober expression. "You...were there for her when I couldn't be."_

 _Amanda just gave her a soft expression of remorse, recognizing the subtle thankfulness buried under Niko's bitter confession._

 _Niko then looked at Amanda with slight apprehension. "…I hope you don't expect me to stop running the school just because of what happened. I must continue my father's legacy despite- "_

" _-I didn't expect you to." Amanda interrupted calmly while shaking her head. "As Sensei once said: The path of revenge is not only stony, but a solitary one. It's up to the person who decides to take it to understand all the repercussions along with their intentions and ultimately choose their fate and accept the results for whatever they may be depending on how they handle the journey and pave their path…I just know that in the end…despite everything, Grace found satisfaction in her decision...Like I did when I had to choose…Even though it was kind of chosen for me… But…either way, please know that she wasn't alone…"_

 _Niko nodded slowly before she sighed. "I suppose I was wrong about you after all."_

 _Amanda raised an eyebrow with intrigue at her statement._

" _Truth be told, I always thought that my father was right about you. I saw what you could do, how you handled yourself, and the pride he took in you…He wasn't wrong. Which was why I fought so hard to believe that he was, proving to myself that I was the better disciple and worthy of his attention and praise; that I could exceed you in every way. But the truth is…You were never meant to belong on this journey, nor succeed in completing vengeance's dark path and perfecting its art. Simply because…no matter how hard you tried, or how tainted you became, the darkness of it all was never in your heart. Only the justice. He was right. Your emotions and your heart doomed you to fail. And the only time I was right was when I believed that you never truly belonged here…"_

 _Amanda fought hard not to glare at the woman as she listened to her spiteful tone._

" _And yet…it is for this very reason that I now understand why Aiden cherished you all the more…more than me…" Niko nearly whispered as she looked at Amanda with genuine respect in which she returned with a wistful smile. Both women then held their heads down in silence with their eyes closed as they remembered the man who was once dear to their hearts._

 _Niko then touched a hand to Amanda's shoulder, almost causing the woman to jump at the unexpected contact. "Well…I suppose it's not all a lost cause for you. As I'm certain things turned out for the better in your case when all was said and done with your journey…"_

 _Before Amanda could look at her in confusion of what she meant as Niko gave her a small, knowing smile, she saw that the woman's gaze was directed behind her. Amanda then looked over her shoulder to see Jack still standing in the dojo's doorway with his hands in his pockets as he waited, but eventually caught eyes with his wife's and shot her a loving smile of comfort and support as he waved at her, his ocean blue eyes shining._

 _Amanda returned the look with a soft, affectionate glance, thankful for his support, before she turned back towards Niko, nodding and smiling bashfully as a faint blush warmed her cheeks. She then put a hand on top of Niko's as she continued to clutch the bracelet, before she spoke softly. "I'm sorry for your loss…"_

 _Niko nodded morosely, but managed to give her a soft, genuine look of respect and gratitude. "Thank you Em-er…I mean, Amanda…"_

 _Knowing that the deed was done, Amanda bowed respectfully before walking off to join her husband who welcomed her back by wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pressing his lips briefly to her cheek as he comforted her in silence. However, before the couple could make it back to the vehicle that would take them to their plane, they heard Niko's voice suddenly call out._

" _ **AMANDA!"**_

 _Amanda then turned around to address her inquiry, only for her hands to instinctually catch what was thrown to her._

 _It was the bracelet._

 _Before Amanda could protest or question Niko, she saw a rare sight as the woman gave her a genuine smile._

" _ **Something tells me I think she would have wanted you to have it!"**_

 _Now Amanda was ready to protest, but before she could open her mouth to say anything, Jack pointed to the beads on It as his eyes widened. "Amanda, look!"_

 _She then looked down at the bracelet and examined the beads that had letters on it, and it was her turn for her eyes to widen in response once she saw what it had spelled out._

 _It was certainly not what she expected…_

 _The thought of Roxanne's last words then came to her mind…_

"… _ **If I had time…I'd…make you…a friendship bracelet too…"**_

 _Once they made it back to the plane, Amanda could not stop smiling as she clasped the bracelet onto her wrist. She knew it was far-fetched but she couldn't help believing the impossible as she silently thanked the woman responsible for making the bracelet in the first place and fiddled with the three beaded letters it spelled out:_

 _ **AMY**_

 _The significance in what it could have meant, was just something that she and Jack could only hope for…_

 **End Flashback.**

* * *

Snapping out of her thoughts as she let sleep finally claim her despite the bustling that was still occurring with her family and loved ones in the room over the baby, Amanda could not help but feel overwhelmed and bask in the feelings of peace, joy, and completeness that flooded her heart. Such feelings that were once unfamiliar to her and seemed like wishful hopes and dreams in the past, were now the only emotions that she could feel now that she had her friends that were her practically her family, and gained a family of her own with a loving husband, son, dog, and now, a child of her very own to cherish for infinity times infinity.

 **End Chapter.**


End file.
